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Ginisang upo
Sautéed bottle gourd
Ginisang upo: bottle gourd sautéed with garlic, onion and tomato
Ginisang upo is humble everyday food in Filipino homes, especially in the provinces where upo (bottle gourd) climbs over backyard trellises: the pale gourd is sautéed with garlic, onion and tomato until just tender and juicy, then eaten with rice for lunch or a light supper. Families often add ground pork, shrimp or fish sauce; this vegan version leans on tomato and a little salt and pepper. The common mistake is cutting the gourd into thick chunks, which take too long and go watery; thin half-moons cook in minutes. Chef's tip: don't add water at the start, because the upo releases plenty of its own juice once salted.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb bottle gourd (upo)peeled, seeds removed if large, cut into thin 5 mm half-moons
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloveschopped
- 1 onionsliced
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 spring onion (optional)sliced
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Fry 3 garlic cloves for 30 seconds until golden, then add 1 onion and cook for 2 minutes until soft.
2 minStep 2: Add 2 tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until they break down.
2 minStep 3: Add 1 ⅓ lb bottle gourd (upo) and ¾ tsp salt, stir well, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring, until the gourd is translucent and tender when pierced but still holds its shape.
5 minStep 4: Season with ¼ tsp ground black pepper, scatter with 1 spring onion and serve with rice and the juices.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ginisang upo take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 6 minutes to prepare and 9 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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