Thursday, April 21, 2011

Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw: Squash and String Beans in Coconut Milk

Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw with Garlic Rice

Okay, I don't really know how to call this dish in English but that's the closest thing my mind can "translate" it into. Anyway, I did not cook this dish.  I have only made that huge mound of garlic rice on the plate.  My father cooked the ginataang kalabasa and I'll try to cook it one day soon.

I once have heard that "the best chefs in the world are men" and though I believe we women are catching up, I would still agree that some men do cook well.  My father is no chef but I do believe he cooks better than most of us here at home.  I asked him how he cooked this and he told me how he did it but he's betting that I wouldn't be able to make it because I don't know how to prepare the coconut milk.  Hahahaha! I asked him to cut that out from the whole process so here goes, I'm sharing his cooking directions!

Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw
  • Sauté garlic, onions and ginger.  Add coconut milk (2nd extraction, gata) and simmer until it smells good! (awwww)
  • Add sliced squash and string beans.  When vegetables are half done, add the coconut cream (1st extraction, kakang gata) and let it simmer until the vegetables are tender.  At this point you could also add dried salted fish to add flavor to the dish.  If you would prefer a vegetarian version, skip the dried fish and season with salt instead. Add a dash of pepper to add more zing to the dish!   
  • When the dish is done, eat it while it's still warm with rice. :-D

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