Ginisang Upo, or sauteed bottle gourd, is a quick meal to make. This dish can be made with your favorite meat or can be cook without meat.
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What do you need to know about bottle gourd?
Upo squash or bottle gourd has meager calories and is the perfect food for losing weight.
It cooks quickly and does not need a lot of time to make it.
How to choose opo squash
Avoid squash that has discoloration and bruises. Also, avoid large squash because I find they have less meat and more hollow on the inside. Instead, please choose a medium-sized, light green opo squash.
What goes into this recipe
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
Shrimp - You can add or replace shrimp with pork, turkey, beef, ground meat, bacon, or chicken if you prefer.
Fish sauce - can be replaced with soy sauce if you are not able to use it.
Oyster sauce - can also be replaced with soy sauce if unable to use this ingredient.
How to prepare the squash
- Peel the upo squash. When you peel, you might find the skin have a sticky
- Cut it in half lengthwise, then remove the seeds using a spoon.
- Cut the squash into 8 pieces, and then I slice it thinly.
Note: Soak opo squash in water to prevent it from darkening.
How to make it
Saute garlic and onion in oil until caramelized.
Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
Then add the tomato, upo, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the upo squash is tender.
Add ground black pepper and salt to taste if needed.
How many calories per serving?
This dish has 150 calories per serving.
Freezing and Storing Instructions
I don’t recommend freezing the upo squash because it will get mushy.
Variations
- Do not include shrimp if you are a vegetarian and would want to make upo squash without meat.
- If you want to add misua, add the misua at the end, just before removing the pot from the stove. I usually add misua and remove it after 2-3 minutes; longer than that, the misua can get mushy if you overcook them.
- Replace oyster sauce and fish sauce with soy sauce for a vegetarian diet.
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Recipe
Ginisang Upo (Sautéed Opo Squash with Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds upo squash
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1 small tomato
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt if needed
Instructions
How to prepare the upo squash
- Peel the upo squash. When you peel, you might find the skin a bit sticky.
- Cut it in half lengthwise, then remove the seeds using a spoon.
- Cut the squash into 8 pieces, and then I slice it thinly.
How to Cook the Squash
- Saute garlic and onion in oil until caramelized.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then add the tomato, upo, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until upo squash is tender.
- Add ground black pepper and salt to taste if needed.
- Serve with rice and enjoy.
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