Express it!

Bicol Express: The Origin

How about some java rice topped with PaboreatOS GOURMET BICOL EXPRESS for dinner?  Perfect-Combo!

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 been inspired by the fiery Bicolano dish gulay na may lada, 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.

Interesting Facts

I actually tried researching about the origin of Bicol express and who actually invented it. As I read on different articles on the internet, I found different views and details about it.

Some says that the original name of the famous Bicol Express is LINATIK.  It means spicy or ma-anghang. Bicol’ “MIRAYA” among the bicolanos is noted for their spicy foods and ginataang gulay usuallty hot to taste. The MIRAYAN country is compose of Donsol,Daraga,Pio Duran, Jovellar, Guinobatan. Their cooking is quite different from the rest of Bicol, it is somewhat exotic.
Bicol Express or “LINATIK” is not only mixed with pork, balaw, but also exotic fishes such as Baluko or other meaty shell fishes,Shark PAGI of course my favorite We called this “KINUNUT’. If you happen to be in this Mirayan country try this exotic Bicol Express known as “KINUNUT’.  So, Bicol Express was the name used for fun when asked about this exotic food from a local train bound for Bicol in early 60’s with markings of Bicol Express.

BICOL Express is still being called LINATIK in BIcol and still their “LINTIK SA ANGHANG ANG SARAP” invention.

According to one, "“bikol express” ay tawag sa mga maaanghang na putahe na ibinibenta sa mga estasyton PNR sa kahabaan ng bicolandia hanggang legazpi, gayon din sa terminal ng bus sa pasay hangang gubat sorsugon nung nakalipas na mga panahon ito yung mga pagkaing nakagarapon o nakabalot ng dahon ng saging laing, gulay na lada, balaw, kinunot na pagi o pating etc. at dahil sa kasikatan nito sa mga pook na yaon natagurian itong “bikol express alin sunod sa pangalan ng bus ng jb lines at tren ng PNR “Philippine National Railway”".

Others say, the name, and the dish, is actually attributed to Cely Kalaw, who is credited with inventing the dish as a companion to laing rather than being originally designed to be eaten on its own.

Wherever the dish name came from, actually it does not matter.  We're lucky that this dish was invented and introduced to every Juan.