Thoughts of a Citizen of the World

Passport & Plate - Ginataang kalabasa

Philippines | Friday, February 27, 2015 | 1 photos

Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon of oil (I personally prefer olive oil)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 1/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Baby shrimps for Bagoong (shrimp paste)
- 1 pound of squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 bunch yard long beans (or any green vegetable you like)

 

How to prepare this recipe
Firstly heat the oil in a pan then add garlic and stir fry. When slightly brown add the onions and stir fry until soft. After that add shrimp and stir fry until cooked.

Add squash (previously cut) and coconut milk. If you are living in a country where coconut milk is not common or imported don't worry if it's condensed when you open the can, it will get liquid when cooked.

Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer and wait until squash is tender (10 to 15 min). Add beans or the vegetables you chose and continue to simmer until cooked which wil take about 10 minutes.

Adjust taste with sea salt and black pepper. Add bagoong, a shrimp paste that is used in the Philippines which will give a particular taste to this sweet dish.

Kainan na! (let's eat!)

 

The story behind this recipe
I've lived in the Philippines for three months las year and I was delighted the first time I tried this dish. I believe that getting to know a culture through its cuisine is essential. Even though Filipinos and Spaniards share a lot of platters because of the influence this last had on the culture, I must say Filipino food deliciously combines Asian and European gastronomy that one can't simply resist.

It's about the exoticism, the spices and the love they add on the food that makes it unique, special. When I first cooked this dish back home everyone was delighted, there was nothing left afterwards. It was special for everyone but personaly its scent brought me back to that beautiful land of constant smiles, kindness and gorgeous green landscapes.