A stew of pork simmered in thick coconut milk with shrimp paste and fiery red chilies. Despite its modern name, the dish reflects older Bicolano techniques of balancing fat, salt, and heat. 1)
Dried taro leaves slowly cooked in coconut milk with chili and aromatics. Proper preparation requires patience; the leaves must soften without being stirred prematurely to avoid bitterness. 2)
Taro leaves filled with shrimp or fish paste, wrapped tightly and simmered in coconut milk until tender. Each bundle becomes a compact, intensely flavored parcel. 3)
Shredded stingray or shark meat cooked in coconut milk with chili and malunggay leaves. The word kinunot means “shredded,” referring to the careful flaking of the fish. 4)
Finely minced crab meat sautéed with coconut milk and spices, sometimes served in crab shells. The dish showcases the region’s coastal abundance. 5)
Grated santol fruit cooked slowly in coconut milk with chili and dried fish or shrimp. The fruit’s natural sourness contrasts with the richness of the sauce. 6)
A sauté of pork liver and heart cooked in coconut milk and chilies. It demonstrates Bicol’s fondness for offal enriched with creamy heat. 7)
Chopped winged beans simmered in coconut milk with ground pork and chili. The name means “wake up,” a playful nod to its spiciness. 8)
A coconut-milk adaptation of adobo, often spicier than Southern Tagalog versions and sometimes including turmeric for color. 9)
Fish gently simmered in vinegar, ginger, and chilies without coconut milk — a lighter counterpoint to richer stews. 10)
Sweets made from pili nuts, native to the region. Candied, brittle-coated, or folded into pastries, the nut has become a culinary symbol of Bicol. 11)
Fresh, soft noodles from Camarines Sur, typically stir-fried simply with vegetables and bits of meat or seafood. 12)
Another taro-leaf dish similar to laing but often moister and sometimes including small river fish, reflecting inland variations. 13)
Boiled fresh corn sometimes cooked in coconut milk and lightly salted, eaten as both snack and comfort food. 14)
A modern innovation from Albay, blending creamy sweetness with a subtle chili heat — an example of Bicol’s playful reinterpretation of its fiery identity. 15)