Laing

Description:
The same can be used for any kind of vegetables---sitaw, kalabasa---langka, labong, etc.!


Ingredients:
20-50 gabi leaves
* 1/2 kilo pork belly (liempo) or shrimps (shelled or not shelled)
* 1/2 head garlic, finely minced
* 2 tbsp. finely minced ginger
* 6-8 green pepper (long, slender variety), minced - siling mahaba or labuyo
* 1/4 cup bagoong alamang
* 1 tsp aji
* 2 large onions, chopped
* 2 large coconuts, grated- the bigger the coconut the better - or use canned coco milk...the more the better para magmantika!
* salt to taste - just a little since you already put bagoong


Directions:
Shred gabi leaves into small pieces. Optional: Set aside -6 big leaves for wrapping the meat---Do not follow this if you wish to make your cooking easier

Dry shredded leaves under the sun for 1 day or more, until wilted.--the drier, the better.

Add 1 cup lukewarm water to grated coconut and extract cream. Set aside. For the second extraction, add 2 cups lukewarm water.

Mix together shredded leaves, pork, onion, pepper, bagoong, ginger, garlic and season with salt and vetsin. To this mixture add the 2nd extract of coconut cream.

In each whole gabi leaf, wrap 3-4 tablespoon of mixture. top with 1 tablespoon thick cream (1st extraction). Form into a square and wrap tightly. Tie with a thin string or strip of the peel of the gabi stalk.

In a large pan pour leftover of the 2nd extraction cream. Bring to a boil. Then, arrange wrapped mixture on the boiling cream. Cover. After 5 minutes, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until cream is reduced to one half.

Add the 1st extraction or the thick cream, simmer until the cream thickens,a and oil comes out of the cream

Consistency should be VERY THICk-and the oil from the coconut must be visible on tope of the cooking pan.