Ginataang Sugpo with Sitaw and Kalabasa
My parents would always tell me that kalabasa is good for my eyesight. The Filipino dish, Ginataang Sugpo with sitaw and kalabasa, made me enjoy eating kalabasa :). When I was a kid, I didn’t like kalabasa in other dishes. For some reason, I enjoyed eating it with shrimp (because i like seafoods) and gata (coconut milk). Cooking them together, the creamy and milky taste of food with bagoong alamang and sitaw made it taste so much better.
Sometimes, you can also cook this with mixed seafoods 🙂
Ginataang Sugpo with Kalabasa
Ginataang Sugpo with Kalabasa is a Filipino dish made with tiger prawns and squash simmered in coconut milk, seasoned with garlic, onion, and ginger, and spiced with chili peppers. It’s rich, creamy, and best enjoyed with rice.
Ingredients
- 500 g prawn shrimp or Sugpo peeled and deveined
- 2 cups kalabasa (squash) peeled and cubed
- 1 cup sitaw (string beans) cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 can (400ml) coconut milk (gata)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb-sized ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger until fragrant.
- Add the cubed kalabasa and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the kalabasa becomes tender.
- Add the sitaw and shrimp to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the shrimp turns pink and the sitaw is tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
Dos and Don’ts:
Do:
- Use fresh kalabasa for a better texture and flavor.
- Let the coconut milk simmer gently to avoid curdling.
- Stir the dish occasionally to prevent it from burning or sticking to the bottom
- Overcook the shrimp as it will become rubbery.
- Skip the fish sauce – it adds the authentic flavor.
- Let the coconut milk boil too quickly to avoid separation.
