Ginataang Kalabasa, Sitaw at Hipon is a Filipino vegetable stew made with kabocha squash, shrimp, and long beans cooked in coconut milk. It’s creamy, spicy, and delicious with steamed rice!
Cooking with coconut milk is one of my favorite methods of preparing our meals at home, and I do, in fact, have plenty of ginataan recipes on the blog. From desserts, snacks to main meals, I love the luxurious taste this nature’s liquid adds to food.
One dish that coconut milk works so well is this squash and long beans stew. The savory flavors of the shrimp and the sweet notes of the squash meld into one hearty sauce that’s just begging to be spooned on steamed rice!
It’s a bit messier, but I find it a far more delicious experience when I get down and dirty with my hands and suck on heads, err, shrimp heads. Because really, what can be more fun than tapping our rice-encrusted fingers on the plate, peeling shrimp, and spooning that rich coconut sauce as we go?
Cooking Tips
- You can peel the squash or leave the skin on, depending on how mature it is.
- Trim the tendrils of the shrimp and drain very well to keep the extra liquid from watering down the sauce.
- Cook the coconut milk at a gentle simmer and do not boil lest it curdles and separates.
Storage and reheating instructions
- Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing as it affects the texture of the vegetables and the consistency of the sauce.
- Reheat in a saucepan over low heat until to 165 F, stirring regularly.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 finger chili peppers
- 2 cups kalabasa (kabocha squash), pared, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 cups sitaw (long beans), ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
- 1/2 pound large shrimp, tendrils trimmed
- salt to taste
Instructions
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In a wide pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
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Add fish sauce and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute.
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Add coconut milk and chili peppers. Bring to a simmer. Lower heat and continue to cook for about 3 to 5minutes or until slightly reduced.
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Add squash and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender but not falling apart.
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Add long beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
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Add shrimp and continue to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until color changes.
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Season with salt to taste. Serve hot.
