This shrimp laing is a flavorful take on the classic laing from the Bicol region. It features dried taro leaves simmered in rich coconut milk with plenty of shrimp, spicy chilis, aromatics, and a touch of pork fat for depth.
How to Cook Shrimp Laing
Begin by cleaning the shrimp: trim the antennae and devein each shrimp. Use scissors to cut off the antennae, then slit the shell along the back from head to tail to remove the vein. Rinse the shrimp under running water and set aside.
In a pot, render the pork fat until it releases enough oil to sauté the aromatics. This step adds a savory base to the dish. Sauté minced onion, crushed garlic, and julienned ginger in the pork oil until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
Pour in the coconut milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Fresh coconut milk gives the best flavor and texture, but canned coconut milk works well if fresh is not available.
Add the Thai chili peppers to taste—this recipe is meant to be spicy, so adjust the number of chilis to your heat preference. Stir in the shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) for salty umami, then layer the dried taro leaves on top. Cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes so the leaves can start to absorb moisture and soften.
Push the taro leaves down so they are submerged in the coconut milk without stirring aggressively. Keep the pot covered and continue cooking for about 30 minutes. After that, gently stir to combine the leaves and liquid, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low.
Simmer, covered, for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the taro leaves are very soft and have absorbed the coconut flavor. Finish by seasoning with ground white pepper and folding in the cleaned shrimp. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through.
Transfer the shrimp laing to a serving plate and enjoy it hot with steamed rice. The dish keeps well and develops even more flavor the next day.
Watch How to Make It
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Shrimp Laing Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 oz. dried taro leaves
- 10 pieces shrimp
- 4 cups coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons shrimp paste
- 1 piece onion minced
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 thumbs ginger Julienne
- 6 pieces Thai chili pepper
- 3 ounces pork fat
- Ground white pepper to taste
Instructions
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Clean the shrimp by cutting the antenna and deveining. Set aside.
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Sear pork fat in a cooking pot. Continue cooking until enough oil gets extracted from it.
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Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger using the oil from the pork.
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Once the onion tenderizes, pour coconut milk into the pot and let it boil.
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Add chili peppers, shrimp paste, and dried taro leaves. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
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Push the leaves to submerge in coconut milk. Continue boiling on a covered pot for 30 minutes.
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Stir the mixture and adjust the heat between low to medium. Cover and cook for 45 to 60 minutes or until the leaves get very soft.
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Season with ground pepper and add shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes.
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Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with warm rice.