Laing (food)

Laing(pronounced[ˈlaʔɪŋ]LAH-ing), is aFilipinodish of shredded or wholetaroleaves with meat orseafoodcooked in thickcoconut milkspiced withlabuyo chili,lemongrass,garlic,shallots,ginger, andshrimp paste. It originates from theBicol Region, where it is known simply aspinangat.Laingis also a type ofginataan(Filipino dishes cooked in coconut milk), and thus may also be referred to asginataang laing.Laingis commonly eaten as a vegetable side to complement meat or fishside dishesknown asulaminFilipino, which is normally paired with boiled whiterice.
Laing, meaning "dried or withered [leaves]" inTagalog,is the name of the dish in most parts of the Philippines. However, in the Bicol region, where it originates from, it is simply calledpinangat.This name can be confused withpinangat na isda, which is a different dish made with fish cooked in a slightly sour broth similar tosinigang.The confusion stems from the original meaning of the verbpangatin the languages of Southern Luzon, which simply means to cook fish or meat in a broth of water and salt.
Laingis typical of Bicolano cuisine, which is known for their common use of chilis andcoconut milk.Laingis also known asginataang laing,pinangat na laing,pinangat na gabiandginat-ang gabi, among other names.
The originallaingfrom the Bicol Region does not use shreddedtaroleaves, but rather a whole fresh taro leaf (natonginBicolano). This version is the one most commonly referred to aspinangat. The mixture usually consists of cubed pre-cooked pork, shrimp, or fish flakes (or all three) withbagoong alamang(shrimp paste), crushedlabuyo chili,garlic,shallots,ginger, andkakang gata(coconut cream). It is wrapped with the leaf and tied with a coconut leaf midrib or twine. It is thensteamedingata(coconut milk) with a knot oftanglad(lemongrass) until the leaf pouches are fork tender and the coconut milk is reduced to a thick sauce.
For thelaingversion served inManilaand elsewhere, it is cooked similarly, but with the leaves shredded (usually sold dried, hence the name). It also usually includes chopped leaf stalks.Laingis usually eaten with white rice, but it can also be eaten sandwiched in bread likepandesalor used as a stuffing for other dishes. It is also commonly eaten as aside dishto meat.
Thetaroleaves to be used forlaingmust be prepared correctly, as they contain amounts ofcalcium oxalatecrystals (raphides) that can sometimes cause itching and burning sensations in the mouth. They are usually washed and cooked thoroughly to avoid this. Drying can also lessen the amount of crystals.
Notable variants oflainginclude:
Inulukanorinulokanis a variant oflaingmade from the meat ofriver crabs(ulukorulok) wrapped in whole taro leaves and cooked in coconut milk spiced with calamansi, black pepper, andlemongrass. It is a specialty ofCamalig,Albay.It is also known aspinangat na ugamaorpinangat na talangka, fromugamaandtalangka, other local terms for river crabs.
Linapayalso known astinamuk, is a related dish fromAklanin theWestern Visayas. It is made from pounded freshwater shrimp (ueang) mixed withgawud(grated young coconut meat) and wrapped with taro leaves (gutaw) and cooked in coconut milk.
Tinumok,tinomok, ortinulmokis another traditional variant from Bicol which uses whole taro leaves wrapped around a mixture offreshwater shrimp, fish flakes (and sometimes meat),shrimp paste, with minced or grated coconut meat, onions, chilis, lemongrass, garlic, and other spices cooked in coconut milk. It differs primarily in its use of coconut meat.
Bicol'svegan"Pinangat" is a Laing twist (pinangat na laing, aBicoldish).