Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw — Filipino Squash and Long Beans in Coconut Milk

Peel the squash and cut it into large 3 cm pieces; smaller pieces will fall apart and turn the dish into a puree. Cut the long beans into 5 cm lengths, and finely chop the onion and ginger.

Heat the oil and the thick coconut cream skimmed from the can in a pot. Soften the onion, garlic, and ginger for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp paste and cook for 2 minutes, until its aroma mellows; bagoong is sharp and salty when raw but rounds out as it cooks.

Add the remaining coconut milk and water, then add the squash. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes just below a boil. Do not boil; boiling can cause the coconut milk to split and form oil droplets on the surface. Do not stir; shake the pot instead.

Add the long beans and whole hot peppers, and cook for 8 more minutes. The beans should offer slight resistance when pierced with a fork, while the edges of the squash begin to soften; that softening is what thickens the sauce.

Add the shrimp to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes, removing it from the heat as soon as it turns pink and curls. Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and will not absorb the flavor of the sauce. Add the black pepper at this stage.

Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes so the sauce can settle. Taste it; bagoong varies widely in saltiness by brand, so if it needs salt, add one 4 ml measure. Serve with hot rice.