As a child, I am not a big fan of vegetables and anything cooked in coconut milk. I was one of those who hate eating veggies. Yuck! However, I never expected I would start to love eating what I hated.

Hinatukan or Ginataang Gulay is a Filipino cooking technique where ingredients such as vegetables, seafood, or fruits are simmered in coconut milk. It can be sweet or savory depending on the ingredients. That is why after trying this dish, I immediately loved it until every time I eat, my plate was always cleaned-up.

It is an ideal everyday ulam and one of the best lutong bahay. Now, you can also be a veggie lover like me just by sticking with these Ginataang Gulay recipes that I have here just for you. It surely makes a yummy, healthy and easy lunch or dinner for everyone!    

Lawot lawot

Lawot lawot is a term used usually by Waraynons and Bisaya for Ginataang pakbet. It is another version of the Ilocano’s pinakbet. The difference is it has coconut milk.

Ingredients 

2 cups thin coconut milk (lasaw or 2^nd extract)

4 cups squash, cubed
4 cups sliced loofah gourd (patola)
2 bundles kangkong, tender stalks and leaves only
8 pcs. okra, slice each piece into halves
1 bundle alugbati,   leaves only
6 medium-size tomatoes
1/2 cup coconut milk (tuno or 1^st extract)
salt to taste
pepper to taste 

Procedure

1. Place the coconut milk (1^st extract) in a pan and allow it to boil.

2. Add the squash, patola, kangkong. Allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the okra, alugbati, and tomatoes. Allow to simmer for several minutes more.
4. Add the coconut milk (2^nd extract).
5. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Balikutos

Another is Balikutos; a flavorful and creamy mix of dagmay or gabi leaves.   The concoction is boiled in gata (coconut milk) to retain its tasty flavor. This dish is best eaten with hot rice and fried fish.

Ingredients

25 pieces gabi (taro) leaves, dried and shredded

1/2 kilo dilis, shredded

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 red onions, chopped

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

5 jalapeno pepper, sliced

1 cup coconut milk (1^st extract)

2 cups coconut milk (2^nd extract)

2 tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon salt

Procedure

1. In a casserole, sauté garlic, ginger and onions then add the dilis.

2. Mix in the gabi leaves.

3. Pour in the coconut milk (1^st extract) and bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add jalapeno and salt. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

5. Add the coconut milk (2^nd extract) and continue to simmer until oil comes out of the cream.

6. Serve hot with plain white rice.

Hinatukan na Dabong  

Dabong or also called as bamboo shoots is also one of the best ginataang gulay.

Ingredients

1/2 cup hebie (dried shrimps), washed

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 thumb-sized ginger, crushed

1 stalk lemon grass (tanglad)-discard the top part

1 cup bamboo shoots (dabong)

2 stalks green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Sauté garlic, ginger and lemon grass. Then add the bamboo shoots. Cook unitl tender. 

2. Add the hebie and coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

3. Season salt and pepper to taste.

4. Discard the lemon grass.

5. Serve with steamed rice.

Hinatukan na Langka

Ginataang Langka refers to an unripe jackfruit cooked in coconut milk. Although jackfruits are considered fruits, unripe ones have the same attributes as vegetables; this was the reason why jackfruit in this recipe is treated as such.

Ingredients

3 clove garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons ginger slivers

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cups young langka, sliced

2 cups fresh gata (1^st extract)

2 cups gata (2^nd exract)

salt and pepper to taste

2 siling labuyo, chopped

 Procedure

1. In a large pan, saute onions, garlic and ginger slivers in oil for 8 minutes.

2. Add langka, mix well.

3. Add the 2 cups gata (2^nd extract) mix well and let it boil lower heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Add the 2 cups gata (1^st extract), season with salt and pepper then simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add siling labuyo, cover and let it simmer for 8 minutes.

6. Continue to simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

7. Serve hot.

Hinatukan na Kapaya

Papaya is usually eaten ripe as a fruit but in this recipe the unripe papaya can now be served as a vegetable. Ginataang papaya is usually cooked with coconut milk, dried fish and green papaya.

Ingredients

1/2 medium green papaya, wedges

1 small onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1 thumb sized ginger diced

2 pcs. dried salted fish (daing or sapsap) shredded

2 cups coconut milk

Procedure

1.  Peel papaya and slice into serving pieces. Discard the seeds.

2.  Heat cooking oil in a pan. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant.

3.  Pour coconut milk in and bring to a boil.

4.  Add in papaya. Season pepper. Simmer over low heat until papaya is half cooked.

5.  Add in shredded dried, salted fish and stir. Simmer for few minutes more, unitl papaya is totally soft. Turn off heat.

6.  Serve with steamed rice and fried fish.

7.  Enjoy!

             Always Remember: “Makulay ang Buhay sa Ginataang Gulay”!

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AIRRA MAE ASTILLA DACUT

LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY ABCOM INTERN