Laing
Dried taro leaves simmered slowly in coconut milk with pork, shrimp paste, ginger and chilli until dark, rich and almost dry. Bicol's leafy coconut dish.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 20 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Laing is dried taro leaves simmered in coconut milk with pork, shrimp paste, ginger, lemongrass and chilli until the leaves collapse into a dark, rich, almost dry tangle and the coconut has turned to oil. Abroad, the leaves come dried in packets from Filipino and Asian grocers, which is how many people in the Philippines buy them too. Taro leaves can make your mouth and throat itch if they are undercooked, because of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals in the leaf. The fix is time: cook them long and slowly in plenty of coconut milk, and leave the leaves unstirred until they soften. Eat it with rice.
What you'll need
11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Dried taro leaves, one packet100 g
- Pork, belly, in small dice250 g
- Neutral oil15 ml
- Garlic, chopped6 clove
- Onion, chopped1 medium
- Ginger, in matchsticks30 g
- Lemongrass, stalks, bruised2
- Shrimp paste, bagoong alamang30 ml
- Coconut milk800 ml
- Coconut cream200 ml
- Fresh chilli, 4 long green chillies and 3 to 6 bird's-eye chillies, sliced50 g
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Fry the pork in the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the fat runs and the edges brown. Add the garlic, onion and ginger and cook 3 minutes, then the shrimp paste for 2 minutes more.
13 min
Step 2
Pour in the coconut milk, add the lemongrass and bring it to a gentle boil.
5 min
Step 3
Pile the dried taro leaves on top and press them down gently with a spoon so they sink into the milk. Do not stir. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the leaves have softened and darkened.
30 min
Watch: Undercooked taro leaves make the mouth and throat itch. Keep them in the milk, leave them alone until soft, and do not rush this stage.
Step 4
Now stir, add the chillies and simmer 15 to 20 minutes more, stirring now and then, until most of the milk has been absorbed and oil begins to show at the edges.
20 min
Step 5
Add the coconut cream and cook 5 to 10 minutes until thick, glossy and nearly dry. Taste a small spoonful: if there is any scratch at the back of your throat, cook it 10 minutes longer. Pull out the lemongrass and serve with rice.
10 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 814 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 30.3 g
- Fat
- 67.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 52.3 g
- Fibre
- 12.6 g
- Sugar
- 10.6 g
- Sodium
- 535 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Shellfish
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Dried taro leaves → Fresh taro leaves, about 500 g, shredded and dried for a few hours in a low oven
Fresh leaves need longer, at least 45 minutes before stirring. Spinach or kale never itch but make a lighter, different dish.
Tips
- Wear gloves if you ever handle fresh taro leaves. The sap itches skin too.
- Buy packets where the leaves look whole and grey-green. Brown, dusty leaves are old.
- For the Lenten version, swap the pork for 100 g of flaked smoked fish such as tinapa, added with the chillies.
History & culture
Laing is Bicol's other great coconut dish, eaten as a main with rice or beside fried fish and grilled pork. Every Bicolano cook has an opinion on pork against dried fish, and on how dry it should be. In Manila it is a fixture of carinderias, the steam-tray eateries, and during Lent it is made with dried fish.
Taro is one of the oldest crops of the Austronesian world, and cooking its leaves in coconut is shared across the Pacific, from Samoan palusami to Hawaiian lūʻau. Laing is the Bicol version, made hot with chilli and salty with shrimp paste, in a region whose kitchens have always run on coconut.
Traditional — In Bicol, fresh taro leaves are often sun-dried before cooking, which helps with the itch; packet leaves from Filipino shops are the same thing. The no-stir rule is folk wisdom that most cooks keep; long, gentle cooking is what actually stops the itch. Leaves wrapped round a pork and shrimp filling make the close cousin, pinangat.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Laing take?
1 hr 30 min all in — 10 min prep, 1 hr 20 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Dried taro leaves → Fresh taro leaves, about 500 g, shredded and dried for a few hours in a low oven. Fresh leaves need longer, at least 45 minutes before stirring. Spinach or kale never itch but make a lighter, different dish.
What should I watch for?
Undercooked taro leaves make the mouth and throat itch. Keep them in the milk, leave them alone until soft, and do not rush this stage.
Any tips from this recipe?
Wear gloves if you ever handle fresh taro leaves. The sap itches skin too. Buy packets where the leaves look whole and grey-green. Brown, dusty leaves are old. For the Lenten version, swap the pork for 100 g of flaked smoked fish such as tinapa, added with the chillies.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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