Bicol food month: A guide to Bicolano cuisine

Bicol region is best known for its breathtaking natural wonders and tourist spots like the perfect cone-shaped Mount Mayon in Albay. But aside from its beautiful beaches, waterfalls and other stunning sceneries, Bicol is also known for its distinct cuisine, which mostly features the creamy coconut milk or gata, red chili peppers, and their other major crops.

Every year, the Bicolanos celebrate the month-long Bicol Food Festival in September. But since leisure travel and social gatherings are still prohibited due to new COVID-19 cases hitting an all-time high, the celebrations will most likely take place online.

Here at GMA Lifestyle, we're celebrating the Bicol Food Festival virtually by showcasing the most popular, iconic Bicolano dishes that are sure to make you drool. Check them out below.

Bicol Express

The Bicol Express is arguably the most famous and iconic dish from the region. It was named after the passenger train from Manila to Bicol and is also called “sinilihan.”

It's one of the most popular regional dishes in the Philippines, best known for its spicyness. It's original Bicolano recipe uses long chilies of siling haba, coconut milk or gata, and pork as ingredients.

Through the years, several versions of the Bicol Express have been made in order to cater to foodies who aren't a fan of spicy food. There's also a porkless version for vegetarian foodies.

Laing or Pinangat

Another popular Bicolano delicacy is the laing or pinangat. The dish is made with laing or taro leaves, coconut cream, siling labuyo, lemongrass, garlic, and shrimp paste. One can also add meat to make it more enticing for non-vegetarians.

Sinantol

Sinantol or ginataang santol is a Bicolano dish starring one of their most produced crops, the santol or cotton fruit. It's prepared with either fish or pork, shredded santol, chili, and gata. It has the perfect blend of saltiness, sourness, spiciness and creaminess.

Kinunot

Bicol also has a delectable seafood dish aptly called Kinunot, which literally means “to tear apart” in Bicolano.

It is usually made with flaked fish, specifically shark or stingray meat. But ever since, the government prohibited the catching and selling of endangered marine life such as whale sahrks and manta rays, the Bicolanos have used other seafood such as the tilapia.

The Kinunot is often enjoyed as an appetizer, but it can very well pass as a main dish.

Tilmok

Tilmok is another popular Bicolano dish that's made with crab meat and coconut, which ar both abundant in the region. Tilmok is prepared by combining and steaming crab meat and coconut meat. It is then wrapped in banana leaves before serving.

Dinuguan Bicol

Bicol has their unique version of the popular Filipino stew, Dinuguan. Usually, Dinuguan is made with pork offal and meat cooked in pork blood, vinegar, and garlic. So, what's the Bicolano twist? You guessed it. Bicolanos add a spicy kick and creamy texture to their Dinuguan by using gata and chilis.

Sinapot

Bicolanos also has their very own take on the Maruya called the Sinapot. It is made from saba bananas sliced lengthwise and fried in batter. However, unlike the Maruya, it's not sugar-coated. Instead, it is dipped in bagoong. It's truly a must-try Bicolano delicacy for those with adventurous palates.

Bet this list just made you salivate for Bicolano food. For more mouthwatering features, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.

Check out also the list of soup and stew dishes that'll keep you warm this rainy season.