How to Cook Laing

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Laing is Filipino comfort food at its finest. Simmer strips of pork shoulder in a pot full of coconut milk, ginger, and garlic. Then place dried taro leaves on the coconut mixture and let them soften. Stir thick coconut cream and red chilies into the laing. Simmer the mixture until it's thick and enjoy!

Ingredients

1 3.5 ounce (100 g) package of dried taro leaves
6 cups (1.4 l) of coconut milk
2 cups (470 ml) of coconut cream
½ cup (60 g) of shrimp paste (bagoong or balaw)
¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) of pork shoulder
5 to 7 red chilies
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
½ cup (25 g) of sliced ginger
8 cloves of crushed garlic
¾ cup (120 g) of salted dried fish (daing), shredded, optional

Makes 8 servings

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:
Making Classic Laing

1
Mix the coconut milk, pork, shrimp, ginger, onion, and garlic. Set a large cooking pot on the stove and pour 6 cups (1.4 l) of coconut milk into it. Add ½ cup (60 g) of shrimp paste ,¹⁄₂ pound (230 g) of thinly sliced pork shoulder, 1 sliced yellow onion, ½ cup (25 g) of sliced ginger, and 8 cloves of crushed garlic. Stir to combine the ingredients.^{[1]
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- Cut the pork, onion, and ginger into 1/4 in (6 mm) slices so they cook evenly.
2
Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes over low. Turn the burner to medium-high so the coconut milk comes to a boil. Then turn the burner down to low so it bubbles gently. Put the lid on the pot and simmer the mixture so the meat cooks a little.^{[2]
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- Take the lid off and stir the mixture occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
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3
Add the taro leaves and let them sit on the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. Open a 3.5 ounce (100 g) package of dried taro leaves and pour the leaves on top of the coconut milk mixture. Avoid stirring them in at this point. Instead, keep the lid off of the pot and continue to simmer the coconut mixture under the taro.^{[3]
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- The taro leaves will soften as the steam escapes and the leaves absorb the coconut mixture.
4
Stir the taro leaves and simmer the laing for 10 minutes over low heat. Once the leaves have softened, stir them into the coconut mixture so they're completely combined. Continue to let the laing simmer for 10 minutes.^{[4]
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- Stir the laing frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
5
Stir in the coconut cream and red chilies. Add 2 cups (470 ml) of coconut cream and 5 red chilies. Stir until they're combined with the laing in the pot.^{[5]
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- Add up to 7 red chilies if you prefer the laing even hotter.
6
Cook the laing for 10 to 12 minutes before serving. Let the laing bubble gently over low heat so the coconut cream warms. Then turn off the burner and spoon the laing into a serving plate.^{[6]
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- Refrigerate leftover laing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:
Trying Variations

1
Add salted dried fish for a slight briny flavor. To add a depth of flavor to the laing, shred ¾ cup (120 g) of salted dried fish (daing) and stir it into the pot when you add the pork.
- The dried fish will soften and rehydrate as it cooks.
2
Use fresh taro leaves if you don't have dried taro leaves. If you can only find fresh taro leaves, use the same amount as if you were using dried leaves. Chop the fresh taro leaves into 1 in (2.5 cm) strips and add them to the coconut mixture. Increase the cooking time to 1 hour total, so the taro is completely cooked.^{[7]
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- If you don't cook the fresh taro leaves enough, they'll make your mouth feel itchy when you eat them. This is because the raw leaves are high in calcium oxalate.
3
Add shrimp to laing for extra protein. To boost the seafood flavor, reduce the amount of pork shoulder to ¹⁄₄ pound (110 g) and add 1 pound (450 g) of shrimp during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Simmer the shrimp in the laing until they're pink and cooked through.^{[8]
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- You can also use crawfish or lobster instead of the shrimp.
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