Ginisang Upo with Shrimp is a light, simple Filipino vegetable dish made with bottle gourd sautéed in onion, garlic, tomato and shrimp. Pork can also be used. Ginisang Upo recipe is easy to make and cooks in less than 30 minutes.
If you want a quick vegetable dish, consider making this. For a small household of 3, a small upo or bottle gourd will do. This vegetable doesn’t take long to cook, so don’t overcook it. It can get soggy and mushy in texture and when it gets to this point I don’t find it appetizing nor appealing. Once you put this vegetable in pan, give it a few minutes to cook then transfer it to a serving plate.
Growing up, my mom never had an issue feeding us lumpiang sariwa but all other vegetables was an issue. She found a way to get us to eat upo and chayote. She made it into an omelette and we loved it. If you have a leftover, make it into an omelette. No one will notice it was a leftover. I will have the omelette posted soon.
Now, that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I see bottle gourd in my local grocers. I usually get it at the Asian store.
How to Prepare Upo (Bottle Gourd)
Wash and peel the skin using a peeler. It is very easy to peel this vegetable. Cut about an ½ an inch thick in a circle. If you cut it in a circle, in the middle of the vegetable are the seeds. If the vegetable is mature, the seeds are hard and not edible. Remove it and discard. But if the vegetable is not as mature, the middle portion or the seeds are soft. It is edible and you can include it in your cooking.
Cut the upo into cubes about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. That’s it.
How to Cook Ginisang Upo with Shrimp
More Healthy Vegetable Dish To Try
Mediterranean Kale Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta
- 1 small upo bottle gourd, peeled & cut into cubes (if seeds are hard, remove & discard)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large tomato cubed
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup water or broth
- fish sauce or salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
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In a pan, heat oil over medium heat and saute onion until translucent.
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Add garlic, cook until golden.
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Add tomato, cook until soft and limp. When soft, mash with kitchen utensil.
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Toss-in shrimp. Cook until pink.
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Pour water or broth. Bring to a boil.
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Lower heat. Toss-in cubed upo or bottle gourd and cook for 3 minutes or until soft but not soggy.
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Season with fish sauce or salt and pepper.
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Turn off heat and transfer dish to a serving plate so it doesn’t overcook.
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Serve hot. Enjoy!
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