WHB #44 - Gising Gising

This week, Weekend Herb Blogging is being hosted by Christa of Calendula & Concrete.

Thanks to Kalyn, this event has been a constant source for me to find new recipes to try with the produce from our garden. This week, I'd like to feature a vegetable we call "sitaw" in the Philippines. This vegetable goes by many names and many faces as Karen's post on it would tell you. Here in the U.S., it is simply called yard-long beans because its pods can grow up to a yard long. I had posted a recipe for yard long beans last year when I had an abundance, and as I look to my archives, I am surprised I didn't post more recipes for it since I had so many! So here goes another one.

The title, gising-gising, in Pilipino means "wake-up wake-up" literally. I suppose it could be translated as a waker-upper for it would certainly awaken your palate if it isn't already. This dish can be made using the common green beans found in most supermarkets, or if you're lucky enough like I was and happen to have these yardlong beans in your garden, then we're in business to wake up our palates.

I had an abundance of these beans last year and they were so wonderful that I wanted more this year. Imagine my disappointment when I couldn't find the seeds anywhere this year. Last year, I found a packet in our local Home Depot. After my futile search for seeds this year, and I didn't want to resort to ordering them online, I had resigned myself to doing without them this season. I must have been a very good girl though, for the garden gods or my resident composter/gardener/husband had blessed my garden and three of these bean plants sprouted up to surprise me. I have been harvesting a handful of these yardlong beans just about every other day, to my delight.

With these beans on hand I finally get a chance to try out this waker upper recipe that has been touted by blogger friends. Mec finally posted her recipe for this, and although I don't have all the ingredients she used, this dish turned out wonderfully. Even with the spiciness, which is optional but of which I don't think this dish would be the same without, the girls actually liked it!

Mec's Gising-Gising

2 Tbsp. Cooking Oil
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups chopped Yard-long beans (about a pound and a half)
1 Tbsp. Maggi Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Patis or Fish Sauce or to your taste
1 can Coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 fresh chili peppers, minced (I used serrano chilis from the garden) - optional if you don't want it spicy.

Heat the oil and saute' garlic and onions until they are fragrant but not browned. Stir in the beans and the rest of the seasonings and bring to a simmer. Don't let it come to boil so the coconut milk will not separate. Let it cook just until the beans are tender but not overcooked.





Filipino Cookbooks