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Filipino · Dinner

Laing

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg

Laing is a Filipino dish. Taro leaves must cook thoroughly; dried leaves are not a raw garnish.

Prep
15 min
Cook
60 min
Total
75 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Filipino
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Laing. The photograph includes a visible piece of fish; this recipe uses shrimp paste without a fish topping.
The photograph includes a visible piece of fish; this recipe uses shrimp paste without a fish topping. Representative photograph of Laing. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Base

Leaves

Finish

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Base · About 5 min

  1. Bring 600 ml coconut milk, 300 ml water, 25 g ginger, sliced, 100 g onion, sliced, 15 g garlic, chopped, 25 g shrimp paste to a gentle boil.

Leaves · About 50 min

  1. Add 80 g commercial dried edible taro leaves, sold for cooking, submerge carefully and simmer gently 45–50 minutes until completely tender. Do not taste uncooked taro leaves.

    Check: Look for this result: completely tender.

Finish · About 10 min

  1. Add 200 ml coconut cream, 20 g red chili, sliced and simmer 10 minutes more. Stop cooking only when leaves are fully soft.

Tips

  • Taro leaves must cook thoroughly; dried leaves are not a raw garnish.
  • Judge Laing by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long Laing takes to cook.
  • Buy edible taro leaves from a food supplier. Never use wild or ornamental taro-like leaves; cooking does not make all such plants safe.

Substitutions

  • Use spinach for a different, shorter-cooked coconut greens dish.

Storage

  • Get perishable Laing into the fridge within two hours, or within one hour above 32°C / 90°F. Eat Laing within two days, keeping it covered at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Bring cooked Laing to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning it for even heating. When Laing is part of the meal, serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts straight from safe refrigeration.
  • If Laing includes a thick sauce or soup, loosen it with a little water during gentle reheating. Any crisp coating on Laing becomes softer in storage.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Laing one day ahead. For Laing, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Laing on the day of serving.

FAQ

What matters most when making Laing?

Taro leaves must cook thoroughly; dried leaves are not a raw garnish.

What can I substitute in Laing?

Use spinach for a different, shorter-cooked coconut greens dish.

Can I prepare Laing ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Laing one day ahead. For Laing, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Laing on the day of serving.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating · Centre for Food Safety: wild taro poisoning

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