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Published: 04/10/23
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From our beloved song “Bahay Kubo” we find a list of fruits and vegetables that so often populate Filipino gardens and backyards. The song lists ingredients ranging from radishes to squash, green beans to tomatoes, garlic, onions and ginger! It’s a testament to how much Filipinos love our veggies — and how creative we can get when using them. Among the crops listed in Bahay is kubo whoops — or bottle gourd, in English. This giant, leafy vegetable is a favorite in the kitchen due to its ease of use, adaptable nature, and mild but slightly sweet flavor. But you haven’t found them yet whoops Recipe Right For You? Look no further; Today we are listing four of the most popular upo recipes that you and your family are sure to love!
what is whoops? And what are its health benefits?
Before you begin your upo recipe of choice, it’s a good idea to understand exactly what upo is. Upo is identifiable by a variety of names, such as bottle gourd, long melon, and opo gourd. But the “real” name of this vegetable is actually calabash! Green, round and so long that it can actually grow up to a meter long, the gourd has been around for quite some time. In fact, the earliest evidence of this exists sometime in the years 8000-9000 BP from China and Japan!
In fact, people used and ate it whoops since centuries. Part of the reason for this, of course, is the various health benefits that come from this ingredient! For one, Upo helps in improving digestion as it is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Being extremely low in calories, it also aids in weight loss and its high potassium content makes it perfect for heart health. With a high zinc content, your heart is additionally protected from damage and prevents coronary heart disease!
What Upo Recipes Should I Start With?
You can definitely find any upo recipe that suits your preferences depending on how you’re feeling for the day. If you want something quick and easy, you might like the first recipe, Ginisang upo na may sardinas. For those who like their dishes to be soupy during the rainy season, misua with upo and minced pork or chicken tinola might be the way to go. Finally, Ginataang Upo is best for those craving something refreshing and creamy! There’s an upo recipe for every mood – and no matter what mood you’re in, every recipe is equally easy to make!
Ginisang Upo na May Sardinia
This is an upo recipe that’s flavorful and light and will definitely do your upo justice! After sautéing the garlic and onions in a pan, add the slices whoops or bottle gourd if the onion is softening. Let this cook for 3 minutes before adding Knorr Liquid Seasoning for that extra delicious flavor. Next, put the sardines in a pan with tomato sauce and add a cup of water. Cover and cook on low for 1 to 5 minutes. To get rid of some of that fishy taste, squeeze lemon juice over your dish. Season with a final pinch of salt and ground black pepper and it’s ready to serve!
Misua with upo and minced meat
Looking for the convenience of a noodle soup and something a little healthier at the same time? This upo recipe has you covered! Similar to other recipes, we’ll start by preparing your misua soup. In a saucepan, sauté onion and garlic, then add half a pound of ground pork. Separate it into pieces and continue cooking until it reaches a nice brown color. Then add 1 Knorr Pork Cube and 4 cups water.
After bringing this to a boil, cover your saucepan and let it cook for 5 minutes – after which add 3 cups whoops and an ounce of misua, or vermicelli. Cover your pot again and cook the last 5 to 7 minutes. Add scallions and season with fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste. Your final touch of roasted garlic and your misua with upo and ground beef is ready! Serve hot and enjoy during a slow, soothing day.
Ginataang Upo
As we all know, Filipinos love ginataan recipes; it’s certainly no different at upo! For those who are a fan of that rich and sweet coconut milk, this upo recipe is for you.
Make this by sautéing onions and garlic in a pan, then adding 3 cups of each whoops slices. Sauté for two minutes, then add dried anchovies. Next comes vinegar for that sharp and clean cut through the rich flavors. Meanwhile, in a separate glass, combine 1 ½ cups of water and Knorr Ginataang Gulay Mix before stirring. Pour this mixture into a pan, bring to a boil and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Add your chillies for an extra kick of spice and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Like your misua, season this upo recipe with fish sauce and ground black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with heaping cups of white rice!
Chicken TINola
The last (but definitely not least) upo recipe on our list is the delicious Chicken Tinola. Well this is definitely a Filipino classic; tinolang manok has always been a mainstay in several Filipino cuisines. We usually make this dish with savory sweet papaya. But upo is just as versatile, useful and delicious in this dish!
In a large saucepan, sauté onion, garlic and ginger. Once the former softens, add your 5 ounce chicken, cut into portion chunks. You want your chicken to be light brown, so keep frying until you get that color. When you do, pour in 5 cups of water and bring this upo recipe to a boil. Add a Knorr Chicken Cube and reduce heat to minimum. Let your dish cook for another 15 minutes – make sure the lid is on! After that, add your bottle gourd and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups of spinach, season with fish sauce and ground black pepper – and you’re done! Serve your Tinolang Manok piping hot and share and enjoy with loved ones!
Easy, inexpensive and delicious – every upo recipe listed here is a joy to make and a joy to enjoy too! Which upo recipe is your favorite? how do you cook your upo Let us know in the comments below!
Did you do this? If you take a picture, please tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or with the hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!
Upo Recipes (bottle gourd)
You can use these recipes to prepare your bottle gourd in a variety of ways
Ingredients
Ginisang Upo na May Sardinia:
Misua with upo and minced meat:
instructions
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Make ginisang upo with sardines by sautéing garlic and onion in a pan. Add the bottle gourd once the onion softens. Continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add Knorr Liquid Seasoning. Pour the sardines into the pan with tomato sauce and add ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 1 to 3 to 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon and season with salt and ground black pepper. Surcharge.
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Prepare the misua soup by sautéing the onion and garlic in a saucepan. Add the ground beef. Continue cooking while dividing it into pieces until it turns brown. Add Knorr Pork Cube and water. let it cook. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Place the bottle gourd and Misua. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add spring onions and season with fish sauce and ground black pepper. Add roasted garlic. Serve hot.
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Make the ginataang upo by sautéing the onion and garlic in a pan. Add the bottle gourd. Fry for 2 minutes and then add the dried anchovies. Pour the vinegar. Combine 1 ½ cups of water and Knorr Ginataang Gulay Mix. Stir and add to the pan. Bring to the boil and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add chili pepper. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with fish sauce and ground black pepper. Pour into a serving bowl. Serve with rice.
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Prepare Chicken Tinola Soup by sautéing onion, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan. Add the chicken once the onion softens. Fry until the chicken turns light brown, then pour 5 cups of water. Let it cook. Add Knorr Chicken Cube. Reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Add bottle gourd and cook for 3 minutes. Put the spinach in the pot. Season with fish sauce and ground black pepper. Serve hot.
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Nutritional Information
Calories: 880kcal (44%) Carbohydrates: 37G (12%) Protein: 43G (86%) Fat: 62G (95%) Saturated Fatty Acids: 12G (60%) Polyunsaturated fat: 16G Monounsaturated fatty acids: 31G Trans fats: 0.2G Cholesterol: 187mg (62%) Sodium: 1021mg (43%) Potassium: 1597mg (46%) Fiber: 3G (12%) Sugar: 6G (7%) Vitamin A: 1293ie (26%) Vitamin C: 24mg (29%) Calcium: 591mg (59%) Iron: 8thmg (44%)