Ginataang Kalabasa at Okra--is one of my favorite
everyday Filipino dishes. These three main
gulay ingredients - - kalabasa, okra and gata (coconut milk) are a super healthy combination. Kalabasa is good
for the heart--has amazing benefits for the eyes, skin and hair. Okra helps
manage sugar levels --thus, it is the secret weapon
against diabetes. Coconut milk is specially high in manganese, an antioxidant which protects our cells.
Kalabasa (also known as calabaza in Spanish or squash) is a native of Mexico and an ancient staple food of the Aztecs. The kalabasa has been cultivated in the Tehuacan and Oaxaca valleys and in Tamaulipas since 6000-5000 BC.
Squash originally came from Mexico
The calabaza from Mexico was brought here as a result of the galleon trade in the 15th century. Immediately the early Filipinos liked its delicate flavor, soft texture and delicious taste.
Kalabasa is rich in vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as potassium and dietary fiber. The pulp is sodium, fat and cholesterol free. It is also high in unsaturated fatty acids, folate, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin and phosphorus. Kalabasa is also rich in manganese, a mineral that helps to boost bone strength and helps the body's ability to process fats and carbohydrates.
Squash flowers, symbol of ancient wealth and power
Now, let us not
forget one other precious kalabasa food- - its flowers!, the bulaklak ng
kalabasa (also known as squash flowers or squash blossoms, or
courgette or zucchini flowers or flor de
calabaza in Spanish).
The Aztecs
regarded the squash flowers with its golden, orange-yellow color with high esteem, symbol of ancient wealth
and power. Today in Mexican cooking, it is used as ingredient in quesadillas,
empanadas and other dishes in Mexican cuisine. Locally, it is cooked in miswa soup, kare-kare and other ginisang gulay.
Okra
Okra from ancient India
Okra, also called lady fingers or gumbo, is a very
nutritious pod vegetable. The plant originated in India and Pakistan. And
then it was spread across to Ethiopia, West
Africa, the Caribbean and then to Tropical South Asia. Then from Asia, it was
brought to us by our early Indonesian and Malay ancestors.
Okra is cooked steamed, sapaw sa sinaing, sawsaw sa toyo’t calamansi. It is also added to sinigang, pinakbet, and varieties of ginataang gulay.
Okra is cooked steamed, sapaw sa sinaing, sawsaw sa toyo’t calamansi. It is also added to sinigang, pinakbet, and varieties of ginataang gulay.
Being a native of India, okra is cooked in many, many traditional Indian recipes since ancient times and until today.
Bhindi masala with chapati
Then there’s Bhindi Bhaji, a simple Indian sabji (meaning ulam), stir-fried okra cooked with finely chopped onions and tomatoes and spices. Sometimes there is Aloo Bhindi Sabji, stir-fried potatoes and okra with salt and Indian spices.
Then there’s Bhindi Bhaji, a simple Indian sabji (meaning ulam), stir-fried okra cooked with finely chopped onions and tomatoes and spices. Sometimes there is Aloo Bhindi Sabji, stir-fried potatoes and okra with salt and Indian spices.
Okra is especially high in fiber which has a positive
impact on the digestive system which promotes digestion and helps to relieve
constipation. It is rich in vitamin A,
C and E and folic acid. It is also a
good source of B vitamin such as B-6 and niacin which are important for
metabolism, vitamin K, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
Coconut
Coconut is a member of the palm family. It is very
common in Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, islands on the Indian Ocean, Africa,
Central America, the Carribean, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia.
Here in the Philippines, it is commonly known as niyog,
derived from the Malay word nyiur
or nyior. From the coconut we get buko and coconut milk.
Sabaw ng buko (coconut
water) from fresh, young coconut is nature’s healthiest natural beverage. It provides all essential elements such as, antioxidants and enzymes. Coconut milk, known as gata, is an
important, nutritious ingredient in traditional Filipino cooking. It is
high in saturated fat but it’s the special, healthier type which is readily
metabolized by the body for energy.
Our early Indonesian and Malay ancestors came by sea
About seven
thousand years ago, the first wave of seafaring Indonesians from what is today
Indonesia came to our archipelago by sea. The most
important influence the Indonesians had on our cuisine was the planting and
eating of rice. They practiced dry
agriculture and introduced us to planting gabi, coconut, kangkong, sitaw,
labanos and sugar cane. Fruit trees like
rambutan, macopa, mangoosteen, langka, bananas, durian and marang were
indigenous to Indonesian archipelago so when the Indonesians came, they brought
those exotic, sweet tasting fruits with them.
Coconut from ancient Indonesia
About four thousand years ago, the first wave of Malays migrated to the
Philippines. They were believed to have
come from Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula.
Like the Indonesians who came before them,
they also came by sea in boats. The second wave of Malays came more than two thousand years ago in large
numbers. The early Malays taught us how to cook ginataan.
The Malays brought with them the knowledge of cooking ginataan, meaning, cooking with coconut milk. Thus today, we have all kinds of ginataang gulay - - practically every vegetable was cooked in coconut milk by the Malays--sigarillas, sitaw, talong, ampalaya, okra, puso, langka, dahon ng gabi and pako.
And the way they cooked gata was just so exotically fragrant, really rich and creamy with lots of chilis.
The Bicolano's famous laing, ginataang dahon ng gabi with fiery hot chilis was a legacy from the Malays.
Ginataang langka with luscious, creamy gata
And the way they cooked gata was just so exotically fragrant, really rich and creamy with lots of chilis.
The Bicolano's famous laing, ginataang dahon ng gabi with fiery hot chilis was a legacy from the Malays.
From the Malays we also inherited the concept of cooking kuih where the word ‘kakanin’ was derived.
Biko, sweetened glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk
Kakanin is a wide selection of cakes, pastries and sweetmeats which is usually steamed or fried which is based on rice or glutinous rice and coconut milk.
Sumang Malagkit is also a sweetened kakanin, an inheritance from the Malays
Here is my recipe of ginataang kalabasa at okra.
Ingredients:
2 c squash (big cubes)
2 c okra (sliced)
1/2 c tomatoes
1 c thin coconut milk
1 c thick coconut milk
2 Tbsp ginger (sliced)
2 Tbsp leeks or spring onions
(or 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp onions)
salt, labuyo chilis or green chilis
seasoning
Procedure:
1. In a pan, saute leeks or springs onions (or garlic, onions). Add ginger, cook for a while then add tomatoes and salt. Cook well.
2. Add squash, thin coconut milk and seasoning. Cover and cook. When a little tender, add okra and chilis.
3. In a separate pan, cook thick coconut milk until very thick almost like becoming latik. Set aside.
4. When kalabasa-okra are cooked, removed from heat. Add cooked creamy coconut milk. Mix and serve.
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