No gabi leaves? No problem. Turn kangkong and talbos ng kamote into a laing-inspired dish with coconut milk, dried shrimp, and bagoong.
There's something deeply Filipino about taking a dish you love and making it work with whatever's available. Not traditional laing, but it delivers that same creamy, coconut-bagoong flavors with accessible greens.
Traditional Bicolano laing uses gabi leaves that need more attention when cooking and take a long time to cook. This version swaps them for kangkong and talbos ng kamote, two of the most affordable greens at any palengke. They're tender, cook faster, and still give you the same satisfaction. All the comfort, way less fuss.
The pairing of kangkong or kamote tops with bagoong isn't new and you've probably already had them as a side dish in Chowking. The saltiness and bold flavor complements the vegetables that would otherwise taste flat.
Cooking them down in coconut milk with dried shrimp brings out all the flavor. The trio of dried shrimp, bagoong, and patis builds umami that turns tender greens into something reminiscent of the laing you know.
Bagoong is Filipino shrimp or fish paste. The salty, pungent, and umami-rich condiment is made with salted and fermented seafood: tiny shrimps (bagoong alamang), fish (bagoong isda), or a mix of both.
The key is resisting the urge to stir; it keeps the greens from turning mushy. Using both coconut milk and coconut cream lets you season in layers. The milk cooks down with the greens and aromatics, while the cream added at the end creates a silky sauce that balances the dish. Siling pansigang adds gentle heat that ties everything together.
Once the leaves on top are spreaded, lower the heat, cover, and don't stir. Adding the coconut cream towards the end prevents curdling. Simmer until slightly reduced, then you're done.
Can't find one of the greens? Use all kangkong, all kamote tops, or swap in malunggay or pechay. Just add stems first if using stalky greens.
Prepare the greens: Rinse and de-stem kangkong leaves and talbos ng kamote. Keep tender stems and give the leaves a rough chop. Set aside.
Cook the aromatics: Heat neutral oil in a shallow pan over medium high heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Build the sauce: Add the dried shrimp and bagoong, stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and add patis.
Cook the greens: Add the stems first and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do not stir. Add the leaves and spread them out evenly over the sauce. Lower heat to medium and cover for 5-8 minutes. Do not stir
Add coconut cream: Stir in coconut cream and add siling pansigang. Simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce has slightly reduced.
Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and patis. Serve immediately and enjoy with ulam.
