BICOL EXPRESS

(Spicy Green Beans and Eggplants with Coconut Milk)
As the name implies, Bicol Express (a native dish cooked with lots of hot chili peppers), originated from the Bicol region which is located at the southern most end of Luzon.  The original recipe includes pork, alamang, ginger, onions, fresh turmeric and lots of red and/or green hot chili peppers.  I use a different method of cooking and I have added eggplants and substituted shrimp for pork.  And if I you notice, I also take it easy on the hot peppers, but there is nothing holding you back if you wanted to use lots of it.
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil for sautéing
1/3 cup chopped onions
3 cups coconut milk
1 pound green beans, tips removed and cut approximately 2” long
4 Chinese eggplants, cut in half lengthwise, then quartered lengthwise.
2 or 3 pieces red hot peppers, chopped
1/2 cup diced, cleaned and de-veined shrimps
salt to taste
Methods:
1.  Sauté the onions until transparent. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower  the heat and simmer the coconut milk until reduced to 30 percent.
2.  Add the green beans, eggplants, hot peppers and season with salt. Continue to simmer the vegetables, stirring occasionally until tender. Add the shrimps and cook for two  more minutes.
Household Hints:
1.  It is a must to hand wash your delicate china or any antique or gold/silver trimmed dishes.  Use a dish cloth or soft sponge with soap to clean the dishes.  You may also want to put a towel in the sink while washing and rinsing to prevent nicks or chips when the dish is rubbed against the sink.  Rest the washed dishes on top of a dry towel  and let them air-dry before wiping.  Never stack your delicate dishes under heavier ones, like serving platters or stoneware.
2.  I still remember Rodney Dangerfield’s punch line¼ “I don’t get any respect.”  Well folks, even our trash needs respect, otherwise our olfactory well-being will suffer.  Here is how to minimize or eliminate that unpleasant smell from our trash cans.
Choose a trash can with cover (heavy duty or stainless steel).  Drop a new sheet of Downy static remover in the bottom of the can before putting in heavy-duty trash can liners (1 mil or more).  Use 2 trash bags each time – the outer liner to be re-used as the inner liner for the next cycle.  Make it a point to wrap your non-paper trash, like meat rejects, vegetable shavings and fruit peels in small individual bags tightly tied shut before dropping them in the trash can.  Sharp items like barbecue sticks and flower  stems, should be wrapped in newspapers or unwanted magazines, or put in paper towel tubes to avoid poking through the trash bags. It is also a good idea to spray your trash can every now and then with disinfectants like Lysol. Discard the trash at once when you smell something bad, even if it is half or less than half full.
Editor’s note:  Mrs. Evelyn S. Bunoan is Owner/Master Chef, Philippine Oriental Market & Deli (with more than 25 years of  service to the  Filipino-American community) - 3610 Lee Highway, Arlington, Virginia;  (703)528-0300;  Master Chef (French cuisine), Le Cordon Bleu, London, UK;  recipe creator, improviser, and food stylist and writer;  kitchen-tested and mastered more than 300 recipes, and counting.<D>