Ginataang Hipon with Kalabasa and Bitter Gourd

Sweet squash, shrimp stock and coconut milk with a pleasantly bitter finish.

About this recipe

This version comes from my saved recipe collection. It makes about four to five generous servings. Keep the shrimp heads and shells: they’re the starting point for the stock.

Ingredients

• 539 g whole medium shrimp
• about 400 g kalabasa
• 200 g regular ampalaya
• 100 g wild bitter gourd or wild apalya
• 400 mL coconut milk
• 1 medium onion (about 100 g)
• 5 cloves garlic (about 20 g)
• 20 g fresh ginger
• 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 400 mL water for stock
• salt as needed

Method

• Prepare the shrimp and stock Peel and devein the shrimp, saving the heads and shells. Refrigerate the cleaned shrimp while preparing the other ingredients. Heat about a teaspoon of the oil in a saucepan and sauté the heads and shells for two to three minutes, pressing the heads to release their juices. Add 400 mL water and two thin slices from the ginger. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes. Strain, pressing firmly. Aim for about 250–300 mL concentrated stock. Do not salt it.
• Prepare the vegetables Cut the squash into 2–2.5 cm chunks. Halve the regular ampalaya, remove the seeds and most of the white pith, and slice into 5–6 mm half-moons. Remove any hard seeds from the wild apalya and slice about 5 mm thick. Toss with half a teaspoon of salt, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse briefly and drain. Don’t squeeze it. Slice the onion and remaining ginger, and mince the garlic.
• Start the sauce Heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Sauté the ginger for about 30 seconds, then the onion for two minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30–45 seconds without burning it. Add the fish sauce and let it bubble for 20–30 seconds. Pour in 250 mL stock and the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce to medium-low heat.
• Add the vegetables in order Add the squash, partially cover, and simmer for six to eight minutes until partly tender. Add the regular ampalaya and simmer uncovered for two minutes. Add the wild apalya and cook for another 1½–2 minutes. Fold gently rather than stirring constantly so the squash holds its shape. Add the pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust fish sauce a teaspoon at a time.
• Finish with the shrimp Add the cleaned shrimp and spread them evenly. Simmer gently for roughly two to three minutes, adjusting for their size, until the flesh is opaque throughout. Turn off the heat, cover, and rest for two minutes. Taste again. Loosen a thick sauce with a little reserved stock. To reduce a thin sauce, remove the shrimp briefly and simmer the sauce before returning them. Serve with hot steamed rice.

My kitchen note

The wild apalya brings a stronger bitterness than the regular ampalaya. Keep that in mind when tasting the finished sauce. The sweet squash and coconut milk are there to bring everything together.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗