Ginataang Kalabasa (Squash in Coconut Milk)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, julienned
• 1/2 pound pork belly, thinly sliced
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 4 cups kabocha squash (kalabasa), peeled and cubed
• 1 cup yard-long beans (sitaw), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 green chili pepper (siling haba), whole
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup shrimp paste (bagoong) or substitute additional fish sauce to taste

Method

1. 1

   Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté until fragrant and the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Sauté aromatics
2. 2

   Add the pork belly slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and most of the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes.

   8:00 · Brown pork
3. 3

   Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

4. 4

   Add the squash cubes and whole green chili pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the squash is just tender, about 15 minutes.

   15:00 · Simmer squash
5. 5

   Stir in the yard-long beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the beans turn bright green and tender, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Simmer beans
6. 6

   Add the shrimp and fish sauce, and stir gently to submerge the shrimp in the sauce. Simmer until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Cook shrimp
7. 7

   Season with ground black pepper and adjust salt or fish sauce to taste. Remove from heat.

8. 8

   Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with steamed rice.