''Ginataang kalabasa'', also known as ''kalabasa sa gata'', is a Filipino vegetable stew made from

calabaza Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish language for any type of winter squash. Within an English-language context it specifically refers to what is also known as the West Indian pumpkin, a winter squash typically grown in the West Indies, t ...

coconut milk Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food i ...

and spices. It commonly includes

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

and yardlong beans and either ''

bagoong ''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng'') or krill or shrimp paste (''alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''patís''. The pre ...

'' (fermented fish or shrimp) or '' patis'' (fish sauce). It can also be cooked with fish, crab, or meat and a variety of other ingredients. It is a creamy umami-laden dish that is naturally slightly sweet due to the calabaza. It is a type of ''

ginataan ''Ginataan'' (pronounced: ), alternatively spelled ''guinataan'', is a Filipino term which refers to food cooked with ''gatâ'' (coconut milk). Literally translated, ''ginataan'' means "done with coconut milk". Due to the general nature of the t ...

''.

Names

''Ginataang kalabasa'' is found throughout the Philippines and is known under a variety of names. It is usually anglicized as "squash in coconut milk." It is also known as ''dinuldog'' in Cebuano, ''kalabasa sa gata'' in Tagalog, ''kabasi ha gata'' in Tausug, ''pinggata a babasal'' in

Maguindanao Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...

and ''nilatik na kalabasa'' in Hiligaynon. The names can also change depending on the secondary ingredient, like ''ginataang kalabasa at hipon'' when shrimp is added, or ''ginataang kalabasa at sitaw'' when yardlong beans are added. In some versions, the secondary ingredient is treated as the main ingredient, although they are still just variations of ''ginataang kalabasa''. Examples include ''ginataang alimango'' ( mud crabs) and ''ginataang alimasag'' (

blue crab Blue crab may refer to: * Blue Crab 11, an American sailboat design * ''Callinectes sapidus'' – Chesapeake or Atlantic blue crab of the West Atlantic, introduced elsewhere * ''Cardisoma guanhumi'' – blue land crab of the West Atlantic * '' Disc ...

s), both of which still include calabaza. When multiple vegetable ingredients are used, the more generalized term ''ginataang gulay'' ("vegetables in coconut milk") is also used to refer to the dish.

Description

The basic recipe for ''ginataang kalabasa'' includes cubed

(''kalabasa'', commonly known in Philippine English as "squash"),

(''gata''), coconut cream (''kakang gata''),

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

, onions,

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

, and either ''

'' (fermented fish or shrimp) or '' patis'' (fish sauce), and salt and pepper to taste. For convenience, some modern versions substitute the shrimp paste or fish sauce with monosodium glutamate or commercial granulated seasoning. The garlic and onions are first sautéed in oil on a pan, then the coconut milk with the rest of the ingredients are added. It is cooked in low heat until the squash becomes very tender. The coconut cream is added last and cooked in low heat with constant stirring until the broth thickens.

Variants

The dish is easily modified which results in multiple variants. The most common secondary ingredients for ''ginataang kalabasa'' are yardlong beans cut into lengths and

. Fish, crab, or meat (usually pork) can also be used. A spicy version is also common with the addition of '' siling haba'' and/or ''

labuyo ''Siling labuyo'' is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species ''Capsicum frutescens'' and is characterized by triangular fruits which grow pointing upwards. The frui ...

''. Other ingredients can include

moringa Moringa may refer to: * ''Moringa'' (genus), a genus of plants * ''Moringa oleifera'', or just moringa, a plant species native to the Indian subcontinent * ''Moringa stenopetala'', a species in that genus commonly known as the African moringa Se ...

leaves (''malunggay''), tomatoes, squash blossoms,

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...

, and okra, among others. The calabaza can be substituted with butternut squash or kabocha, especially in western versions. A vegan or vegetarian version of the dish can also be created by using mushroom sauce in place of fish sauce or shrimp paste and leaving out the meat and seafood. ''Ginataang kalabasa'' is differentiated from other types of ''ginataan'' which may also use similar ingredients like ''

ginataang hipon ''Ginataang hipon'' is a Filipino seafood soup made from shrimp in coconut milk and spices. It differs from other types of ''ginataan'' (which also commonly include shrimp), in that it does not use vegetables. It is a type of ''ginataan''. Varia ...

'' (shrimp in coconut milk) and ''

ginataang ampalaya ''Ginataang ampalaya'', is a Filipino vegetable stew made from bitter melon and ''tinapa'' (smoked fish) in coconut milk, ''bagoong alamang'' (shrimp paste), and spices. The dish can also be made with pork or shrimp and other vegetables. The dish ...

'' in that the latter dishes do not include calabaza.

References

{{Filipino food Philippine soups Foods containing coconut Vegetarian dishes of the Philippines

Names

Description

Variants

See also

References