Pinangat: Bicol pride

Pinangat

Pinangat makes use of fresh gabi leaves that are shredded into small bits and pieces. The shredded gabi leaves are mixed with all the other ingredients and select spices. The coconut milk is also added before it is neatly wrapped in a bigger gabi leaf tied securely with a small strip of coconut leaf. The bundles are piled up in an earthen pot, locally known as koron, called palayok by the Tagalogs), add some more coconut milk and cook in moderate fire. Yes, aside from the coconut milk added in the wrapped leaves additional coconut milk is needed. The milky texture (kakang gata) in the coconut milk that served as toppings is achieved with the right amount of water, otherwise it would result to heavily diluted (malabnaw) coconut milk. Well, it may appear rigorous but if you prefer the rich and creamy texture you really have to exert more effort in extracting the most from the coconut.

On the other hand, cooking the ordinary laing is more simplified. But I learned as I grew up in the barrio that laing (gulay na apay/natong) can be cooked in other ways. The easiest way is the palú-sag. You just have to mix all the ingredients including the coconut milk then cook them in moderate fire and allow some time for the liquid to evaporate. The other way of cooking the laing is mixing all the ingredients and spices except the gabi leaves and allow a few minutes for them to boil. Constant stirring is needed until the coconut milk thickens. The shredded gabi leaves are then spread with the mixture on the pan and boiled under low fire.