Bicol Curry Express

This is my own fusion dish between a Filipino Bicol Express and an Indian Curry. The outcome was a great-tasting whole new spicy dish, but if you do not want Bicol Express to taste like curry, just exclude all the spices and probably replace with 3 to 5 red hot thinly-sliced chili peppers with seeds to add the distinct heat of a Bicol Express.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo pork, cut into small cubes
1/4 kilo fresh and lightly-salted alamang (shrimp paste)
1/3 kilo green finger chilis (siling pansigang), seeds discarded and sliced thinly
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup water or unsalted stock
1 bundle coriander (wansoy) or flat leaf parsley (kinchay), finely chopped
3 small onions or shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb equivalent of ginger, chopped long and thin
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Spices:
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder

NOTE:
Make sure that the shrimp paste (alamang) is lightly salted. If the shrimp paste you bought is very salty, then wash it to remove excess salt.

Green finger chilis

Go to the wet market and buy fresh alamang.

You need 1/4 kl. of this.

Instructions:

• In a saucepan, heat 3 tbsp of oil in a medium-high heat.
• Lightly put salt and pepper to the pork and place in the saucepan to sear or brown on each side.
• Once the pork has been seared, remove the pork and set aside.
• Do not discard the oil.
• In the same saucepan, saute and brown the onions. Do not caramelize. Just let the onions brown a little bit.
• Add the garlic, ginger and bay leaf. Wait until the aromas are released.
• Add the tomatoes and soften.
• Add the seared pork, shrimp paste and 1 cup of water.
• Let's make this dish interesting. Add all the spices!
• Lower the flame to medium-low and let it simmer until all the water has mostly evaporated.
• Afterwards, add the coriander, green chilis, and the coconut milk.
• Adjust seasoning for saltiness if needed and ground black pepper.
• Simmer more until the coconut milk gives out its oil.

The leftover Bicol Curry Express.

It tastes better the next day. :)

Pasta in Seafood Marinara

Serves: 5

Ingredients:
300 gms fettuccine pasta
1/4 kilo squid, sliced thinly
1/4 kilo clams
1/4 kilo mussels
10 tomatoes, chopped
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 dried chilli peppers, chopped
1 bay leaf
Finely chopped fresh parsley
Finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Thoroughly clean the squid and remove the ink. Slice thinly.
• Thoroughly clean the clams and mussels then soak in water for 30 minutes to remove the sand inside.
• In a pot, boil heavily salted water, around 2 liters.
• Add the pasta when boiling then cook until al dente.
• Now let's make the marinara sauce. In a saucepan, saute garlic, pepper and bay leaf in a low flame.
• Let the garlic brown a little bit but be careful not to burn it.
• Add the chopped tomatoes.
• Add the basil and parsely.
• Simmer and crush the tomatoes with the spatula when it's already tender.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Let the sauce simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.
• After that, add the squid, clams and mussels and increase the heat to medium. 
• Do not add water. Let the clams and mussels give out their own juices.
• Cover the saucepan and let it simmer until the shells open up and get cooked, around 5 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and serve.
• Cheese and seafood usually do not go together so I am not putting cheese on my seafood pasta.