Ginataang Kalabasa Sitaw
A cozy and filling Filipino vegetable coconut stew made with squash, long beans, and spinach, cooked in a creamy coconut milk sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3-4 cups Kalabasa (kabocha squash), peeled and cubed About 3 to 4 cups
- 2 cups Sitaw (long beans), cut into 2 inch pieces About 2 cups
- 2 big handfuls Spinach Or kangkong if available
Aromatics
- 1 small Onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 thumb sized piece Ginger, sliced thin Optional but recommended
Cooking Essentials
- 1-2 tablespoons Cooking oil
- 1 can Coconut milk About 13 to 14 oz, plus a splash of water if needed
- 1-2 tablespoons Fish sauce Or salt to taste
- to taste Black pepper
- 1-2 Thai chilies or chili flakes Optional
Protein Add-ins
- to taste Shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas For extra protein
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic (and ginger if using) and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the kalabasa cubes and stir to coat them in the onion and garlic. Pour in coconut milk and add a small splash of water if it looks too thick. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add fish sauce and black pepper (and chilies if using). Cover and simmer until the squash is almost fork tender, around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the sitaw and simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust with water if the sauce thickens too much.
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Turn off the heat and let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Keep the simmer gentle to avoid curdling coconut milk. Add spinach at the end for brightness. Leftovers taste even better.