Tahong Bicol Categorical – Panlasang Pinoy

Tahong Bicol Categorical combines the creaminess of coconut milk, the daring warmth of chili peppers, and the briny sweetness of mussels in a single flavorful dish. This seafood twist on the Bicol traditional is reassuring, satisfying, and an important alternative whether or not you serve it with rice or take pleasure in it as pulutan with pals.

I’ve at all times loved the mixture of coconut milk and spice, and this Tahong Bicol Categorical recipe is one which by no means fails to impress. The mussels absorb the wealthy, creamy sauce superbly, making a seafood dish that’s each comforting and filled with character.

This recipe brings again recollections of cooking by the ocean within the Philippines, when contemporary mussels had been plentiful and gata dishes had been an everyday deal with. The sweetness of the mussels, the warmth of the chilies, and the richness of coconut milk all mix collectively completely. These days, I make this at house as a hearty essential dish or generally as pulutan throughout small get-togethers.

If you happen to take pleasure in dishes with creamy coconut taste and a bit of warmth, you may also like Seafood Bicol Categorical, which makes use of a mixture of shrimp, squid, and fish for further selection.

What’s Tahong Bicol Categorical

Tahong Bicol Categorical is a seafood variation of the traditional Bicol Categorical. Historically, Bicol Categorical makes use of pork cooked in coconut milk with shrimp paste and chili peppers. This model replaces the meat with mussels, making a lighter but equally flavorful dish.

The dish traces its roots to the Bicol area, the place individuals love utilizing gata (coconut milk) and sili (chili) in on a regular basis cooking. The title “Bicol Categorical” was impressed by the prepare that after traveled from Manila to Bicol, symbolizing the dish’s spicy and fast-rising recognition.

In Tahong Bicol Categorical, the pure sweetness of mussels balances the spiciness of the sauce. It really works splendidly as a essential course or as pulutan. The sauce is creamy and spicy, making it excellent for gatherings the place meals and laughter are shared freely.

1. Boil the mussels.
   Boil water in a pot and add the crushed ginger. Cook dinner for two minutes to infuse the broth, then add the mussels. Boil for 1 minute, drain, and separate the meat from the shells. Put aside.
2. Sauté the aromatics.
   Warmth cooking oil in a big pan over medium warmth. Sauté garlic till mild brown. Add onion and minced ginger, and proceed cooking till the onion softens and turns into aromatic.
3. Add shrimp paste and chili.
   Stir within the shrimp paste and Thai chili pepper. Cook dinner for 45 seconds to launch the flavors.
4. Add coconut milk.
   Pour within the coconut milk and produce it to a delicate boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes till barely thickened.
5. Add the mussels.
   Add the mussels and simmer for 1 minute. Take away them from the sauce and proceed cooking till the liquid reduces by half.
6. Mix and end.
   Return the mussels to the pan and add the lengthy inexperienced pepper. Stir gently and cook dinner for one more minute. Season with floor black pepper. Serve scorching with rice or as pulutan throughout gatherings.

Components for Tahong Bicol Categorical

• Mussels – contemporary and tender shellfish that give the dish its pure briny taste.
• Coconut milk – creamy liquid that serves as the center of the dish.
• Garlic – enhances aroma and provides savory depth.
• Onion – contributes delicate sweetness to steadiness the warmth.
• Ginger – supplies heat and helps tone down the fishy odor.
• Thai chili pepper – the principle supply of spiciness.
• Lengthy inexperienced pepper – provides delicate warmth and a splash of shade.
• Shrimp paste – offers the dish its salty and umami-rich taste.
• Crushed ginger – added whereas boiling mussels to reinforce aroma.
• Water – used for boiling and cleansing the mussels.
• Cooking oil – used for sautéing the aromatics.
• Floor black pepper – for last seasoning.

Greatest Methods to Get pleasure from Tahong Bicol Categorical

Tahong Bicol Categorical is finest loved scorching with steamed rice. The creamy sauce seeps into the rice, making each chew wealthy and satisfying. It’s additionally a kind of dishes that pairs superbly with chilly drinks, which makes it an ideal alternative for pulutan.

For a lighter possibility, serve it with a facet of contemporary cucumber salad or grilled greens. The crispness of those sides balances the creaminess of the sauce.

How This Tahong Bicol Categorical Stands Out

Whereas most Bicol Categorical dishes use pork or rooster, this model stands out due to its clear, ocean-inspired taste. Mussels give the sauce a pure sweetness that blends completely with the spicy coconut base. The feel is lighter, making it an excellent alternative for many who desire seafood or need one thing totally different from the same old meat-based dishes.

This recipe additionally cooks shortly and makes use of easy components. It’s excellent for house cooks who need one thing flavorful and distinctive with out spending an excessive amount of time within the kitchen.

• You possibly can substitute mussels with shrimp, crab, or squid for a blended seafood model.
• Use coconut cream as a substitute of coconut milk for a thicker, richer sauce.
• Substitute Thai chili with finger chilies for a milder taste.
• If shrimp paste is unavailable, fish sauce works as a very good different.

Storage and Leftovers

• Retailer leftovers in a coated container within the fridge for as much as 2 days.
• Reheat gently over low warmth. Add coconut milk if the sauce thickens an excessive amount of.
• Keep away from freezing to protect the sauce texture and coconut milk consistency.

What to Have with It

• Tinolang Tahong – a light-weight mussel soup cooked with ginger that enhances the creamy categorical sauce.
• Tuyo Fried Rice– savory and fragrant rice that balances the richness of the dish.
• Crispy Pork Stomach – crunchy, savory pork that pairs superbly with the creamy sauce.

• Can I exploit frozen mussels for this recipe?
  Sure, simply thaw them fully earlier than cooking. Recent mussels present the very best taste and texture.
• How spicy is that this dish?
  The spice degree relies on what number of chili peppers you utilize. Begin with just a few and alter to your liking.
• Can I skip the shrimp paste?
  You possibly can, however you’ll lose a number of the umami taste. Use fish sauce as an alternative.
• Can this be ready forward of time?
  Sure, you can also make it just a few hours forward. Reheat gently earlier than serving to maintain the sauce creamy.
• Is that this good as pulutan?
  Completely. The creamy and spicy sauce pairs completely with drinks, making it a superb pulutan possibility.

Tahong Bicol Categorical proves that easy components can ship unbelievable taste. Each chew carries the proper steadiness of creamy, spicy, and savory notes. It’s a dish that brings heat to the desk and smiles to everybody having fun with it.

Whether or not served as a meal or as pulutan, it at all times seems like a celebration of Filipino consolation meals. Attempt making it at house and expertise how the wealthy coconut taste and warmth from the chilies come collectively superbly with contemporary tahong.

Did you make this? If you happen to snap a photograph, please make certain tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we will see your creations!

Tahong Bicol Categorical

Mussels simmered in spicy coconut milk with shrimp paste, ginger, and chilies. A creamy, flavorful seafood dish that may be loved with rice or as pulutan.

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook dinner: 20 minutes minutes

Tools

• Pot For boiling mussels with ginger

• Massive pan or skillet For sautéing aromatics and simmering coconut milk

• Strainer For draining mussels

• Picket spoon or spatula For stirring with out breaking the mussels

Directions

• Boil water in a pot and add the crushed ginger. Cook dinner for two minutes to infuse the liquid.

  4 cups water, 4 thumbs ginger

• Add the mussels and boil for 1 minute. Drain utilizing a strainer, then separate the meat from the shells and put aside.

  2 lbs mussels

• Warmth cooking oil in a big pan over medium warmth. Sauté the garlic till it begins to brown.

  3 tablespoons cooking oil, 5 cloves garlic

• Add the onion and minced ginger. Proceed sautéing till the onion softens.

  1 items onion, 2 thumbs ginger

• Stir within the shrimp paste and Thai chili pepper. Cook dinner for 30 to 45 seconds to bloom the flavors.

  3 tablespoons shrimp paste, 4 items Thai chili pepper

• Pour within the coconut milk and produce to a delicate boil.

  2 cups coconut milk

• Add the mussels and simmer for 1 minute. Take away the mussels and proceed cooking the sauce till it thickens and reduces by half.

  2 lbs mussels

• Add the lengthy inexperienced pepper and return the mussels to the pan. Cook dinner for 1 minute or till the peppers barely soften.

  1 items lengthy inexperienced pepper, 2 lbs mussels

• Season with floor black pepper, alter to style, and serve scorching with rice.

  1/4 teaspoon floor black pepper

Notes

• Alter the quantity of Thai chili to your most popular warmth degree.
• For a creamier texture, simmer the coconut milk longer earlier than returning the mussels.
• If mussels launch extra liquid after simmering, scale back the sauce a bit extra for a richer end.

Diet Data

Energy: 459kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 9g (3%) Protein: 25g (50%) Fats: 38g (58%) Saturated Fats: 23g (115%) Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g Monounsaturated Fats: 8g Trans Fats: 0.04g Ldl cholesterol: 161mg (54%) Sodium: 754mg (31%) Potassium: 645mg (18%) Fiber: 0.2g (1%) Sugar: 0.1g Vitamin A: 198IU (4%) Vitamin C: 14mg (17%) Calcium: 110mg (11%) Iron: 9mg (50%)

© copyright: Vanjo Merano