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Ginisang Upo at Hipon

Ginisang Upo at Hipon

Ginisang Upo at Hipon is the ultimate vegetable side dish! Made of bottle gourd and shrimp, it's nutritious as it is delicious. Perfect with steamed rice and grilled meat or fried fish.

⏱ Prep: 0 min ⏱ Cook: 400 min

Ingredients

  • 0.5 lb medium shrimp, head on
  • 0.75 cup water
  • 2 medium upo
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 0 salt and pepper to taste
  • 0 Peel and devein shrimp, reserving heads

Instructions

  1. Peel and devein shrimp, reserving heads.

  2. Mix shrimp heads and water. With the back of a spoon, mash heads to extract the juice. Strain and discard shrimp heads. Reserve the liquid.

  3. Cut and discard stem and lower end of upo. Using a peeler or a paring knife, peel skin. Cut the gourd lengthwise.

  4. If the interior is "too spongy" and has mature seeds, remove spongy flesh using a spoon and discard. Slice halves again lengthwise into halves and then slice into ½ inch thickness.

  5. Put large pan on medium heat and warm up some oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.

  6. Add tomatoes and Keep cooking, mashing regularly with the back of a spoon, until softened.

  7. Add fish sauce and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

  8. Add shrimp and Keep cooking just until color changes to pink.

  9. Add upo and stir gently to combine.

  10. Add the reserved liquid and Get it boiling.

  11. Keep cooking, uncovered, for about 5 to 6 minutes or until upo is tender yet crisp and shrimp are cooked.

  12. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Serve it while it's hot.

  13. Cut the gourd into uniform size to ensure even cooking.

  14. For the best texture, do not cover during cooking as the upo will expel a lot of liquid. Take off from the heat while still tender but still slightly crisp as it will Keep cooking in the residual heat.