Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Simmer coconut milk gently — boiling it on high heat can cause it to separate and curdle.
- Stir coconut milk dishes occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- For shrimp dishes, leave the tails on for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Cooking Tips
Seafood cooks quickly — remove it from heat the moment it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Overcooking makes it tough and rubbery. Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Ingredient Substitutions
No coconut milk? For a richer alternative, blend canned coconut cream with water (1:1). For a lighter option, use evaporated milk with a splash of coconut extract. In a pinch, heavy cream or full-fat milk can replace coconut milk — the texture will be similar though the flavor profile changes. Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking. Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Bicol Express Gising-gising
Spicy Bicol Express — gising-gising simmered in coconut milk with plenty of chilies for a fiery kick.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok or pan. Add pork belly. Sear until enough oil is extracted from the fat.
- Add onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper. Continue cooking until the onion softens.
- Add shrimp paste (bagoong alamang). Saute for 1 minute.
- Pour coconut milk into the pan. Cover and let boil.
- Add Knorr Pork Cube. Stir. Cover the pan and adjust the heat to the lowest setting. Continue cooking until the pork gets tender.
- Add long green beans. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add seasoning of with ground black pepper.
- Serve!
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Simmer coconut milk gently — boiling it on high heat can cause it to separate and curdle.
- Stir coconut milk dishes occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- For shrimp dishes, leave the tails on for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Cooking Tips
Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Substitutions
In a pinch, heavy cream or full-fat milk can replace coconut milk — the texture will be similar though the flavor profile changes.
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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