Bicol Express (Bikol: Sinilihan) is a popular Filipino dish which was popularized in the district of Malate, Manila but made in traditional Bicolano style.It is a stew made from long chilies (siling mahaba in Tagalog, lada panjang in Malay/Indonesian), coconut milk, shrimp paste or stockfish, onion, pork, and garlic. It is said to have evolved from gulay na may lada, another Bicolano dish which is nowadays presented as one of the many variants of Bicol Express .
Bicol Express was named after the passenger train service from Manila to the Bicol region, a region in the Philippines famous for its spicy cuisine. Continue reading...
Who invented the incendiary Bicol Express? The Philippine Cookbook (Virginia Roces de Guzmán and Nina Daza Puyat) states that the dish was invented by Cecilia Kalaw during the 1960s. Kalaw grew up in the Bicolano city of Naga and it is there where she learned the local cooking traditions.
It seems pretty clear to me that the name Bicol Express, the situation that precipitated it and under which the actual recipe was created, can and should be attributed to Cely Kalaw, sometime in the 1960 at the Grove Restaurant in Malate, Manila. Ms. Kalaw, though born in Los Banos, Laguna, moved to Naga in Albay when she was three years old. It was there that she got her exposure to the fiery cooking of the Bicol Peninsula. No one has ever denied that Ms. Kalaw was not influenced by other similar dishes and manner of cooking from the Bicol area. But it is certainly obvious that the name Bicol Express, which she apparently coined, is an extremely popular dish in hundreds of restaurants across the country featuring Filipino food on their menus.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 344g
Amount per Serving
Calories 661
84% of calories from fat% Daily Value *
Total Fat 62g
95%Saturated Fat 48g
239%Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%Sodium 150mg
6%Total Carbohydrate 28g
9%Dietary Fiber 7g
29%Sugars 20g
Protein 8g
Vitamin A 15%
•Vitamin C 63%Calcium 1%
•Iron 9%* based on a 2,000 calorie diet
But, did you know that siling labuyo also gives a lot of health benefits aside from that of condiments?
Siling Labuyo contains capsaicin – it is a chemical compound that causes the burning sensation in the mouth. With that hot and burning feeling, capsaicin triggers the brain to kick out flood of endorphins, a natural pain killer of the body that promotes sense of well being and stimulation.
Siling labuyo gives an amazing relief to arthritis and rheumatism. It brings down blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, prevents blood clots, halts bleeding quickly, knocks out cold and flu miseries. It also reduces risk of heart diseases and tuberculosis. In addition it is an ulcer healer.
Currently, there are numerous of studies going on for the medicinal applications of siling labuyo since it is associated with therapeutic actions such as: aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, expectorant, neural stimulant, rubefacient, synergist vasomotor stimulant, topical vasodilator, etc.
The best remedy to combat the fire of siling labuyo are dairy products such as milk, yogurt, or even ice cream. Starchy foods like white bread, mashed potato or cooked white rice also have a neutralizing effect on the natural alkaloids of capsaicin.
However, alcoholic beverages are just about the worst thing to drink when consuming chili because they tend to increase the absorption rate of capsaicin within the body.
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