Not everyone likes to eat vegetables, not that they are picky, but at times it's the natural taste of vegetables that puts them off. That's why it's an essential job for home cooks to make vegetable dishes appealing: not only visually, but importantly the flavor.
We know the benefits of regularly eating vegetables: how it helps the body be apical and for every system to function correctly. But let's admit it as well, not every vegetable tastes good without adding a ton of ingredients to them. However, our featured recipe begs to differ.
Most adults and kids alike will prefer to have this veggie over any other kind. So let's pause with the chit chat and go straight ahead in teaching how to cook the Sitaw in Coconut Milk that your family is sure to fall in love with.
What is Ginataang Sitaw
This long, green, and thick hair-like vegetable powerhouse belongs to the common kidney beans' family. We are used to calling string bean because of their appearance, but they can be interchanged with green beans.
But because of Filipino ingenuity, this humble vegetable is given the luxurious and creamy sauce that is hard to resist. The preferred choice of protein to this dish is pork, which is about right because the meaty flavor goes well with the gata.
The pale white sauce is a glaring contrast to the string bean’s' vibrant green color, which makes it genuinely appealing not just for adults but also for kids alike. Because let's admit it, kids will always be picky when it comes to food, but show them this dish, and they would think twice.
Ways to Cook String Bean Recipes
Cooking ginataang sitaw is not that complicated and can be achieved using the most basic cookware you have at home. So we listed down a few ways to cook these timeless vegetable recipes that you may include in your culinary arsenal.
Stovetop
It is the usual way of cooking our recipes since most households use gas stoves at home. So if you do not have those fancy cookware at home, then this one is good for you.
The steps are straightforward, and you only have to follow the steps as indicated. Any cooking pan or saucepan will suffice, so long as they contain liquids for the sauce. Even a frying pan will make sure that it has enough space for the sauce.
Cooking with this is the go-to method because of its convenience and how readily available this method can be—no fancy cookware, no advanced kitchen technology, just direct and straightforward home-style cooking.
Instant pot
Instant pot can be a trusted kitchen companion for folks who are always on the go and do not have the patience in waiting when cooking. The built-in timer and cooking mechanism gives you the freedom to cook without looking after it after the timer has been set.
Follow the steps indicated in the recipes, sautee them as per the order stated. After sauteing the ingredients, select the most appropriate setting for cooking vegetables using the instant pot, and cook the ginataang sitaw for about 20 minutes.
The instant pot is the enhanced version of the pressure cooker, but this time, it's safer to use by a mile because of the timer and all.
Other Delicious Variants of String Beans in Coconut Recipes
Being simple and straightforward recipes do not equate to being a one-trick pony kind of dish. Because of how readily available the components for cooking this ginataang string bean can be, multiple variations can be made. The variant will depend on what protein is available in your area.
To give you objectives on creating your variant of this ginataang string bean, we have listed some of our recipes’ most well-known variations.
String Beans with hipon
Because we are an archipelago, various kinds of seafood abound our waters. Our oceans, seas, and rivers are teeming with aquatic life that provides food and livelihood for our kin who live in coastal areas.
The natural sweetness of the shrimps elevates the creaminess and the savory taste of the green beans. And once the shrimps are cooked, the vibrant red color goes well with the beans' green color, which gives off a festive vibe to this ginataang string bean.
String Bean with pork Recipes
Everything tastes better when pork is there, right? The savor and the meaty flavor that it provides hold the overall taste of any dish that it is added to. And the pork fat and juices that seep into sauces and broths are undeniably flavorful.
There is nothing fancy in preparing this variant; cooking is the same as the original recipe. But for a fuller and meatier flavor coming from the pork, we would suggest that you deep fry them before adding them into the vegetable mixture.
Any pork cuts can be used for this variant; however, the excellent part for these kinds of dishes are pork belly because of the fat content.
Ginataang sitaw with crab
Most coastal villages in the Philippines substitute proteins like meat with what seafood are available in their area. One of the most famous choices for seafood would be crabs. They are known to have the most concentration of seafood flavor.
This variant can often be seen being cooked in the Visayas region, particularly in the provinces of Capiz and Northern Iloilo. The majority of their vegetable dishes incorporate a small variety of crabs called kasag in Hiligaynon.
Trivia
Knowledge is power is a famous saying which proves to be true in many facets of life. And that can also be said with foods that we eat.
Green beans, or commonly called string bean, are one of the fastest-growing beans in the world. It only takes 45 days for it to fully mature.
Troubleshooting
Cooking mistakes are unavoidable, but you need not lose your cool and temper because knowing the proper remedy can solve whatever kitchen dilemma you might have.
- If the sauce lacks flavor, add a tablespoon of fish sauce to a saltiness hint, which provides body to the taste.
- If the coconut milk is overpowering, a sprinkle of lemon juice or calamansi juice can cut down the coconut milk's richness.
Tips
Prevention is much better than cure; the same thing can be said when cooking—knowing and applying time-tested kitchen tips when cooking can save you the dilemma of unnecessary and annoying kitchen mishaps.
So we provided you some tips to help you cook our recipes with ease.
- To retain the beans' vibrant color, blanch them in boiling water for about 20-30 seconds before sauteing them.
- Use the cream as well aside from the coconut milk. This gives a creamier sauce.
- Fry the pork cuts first to draw out more flavors from them before mixing them with the ingredients.
Best Served With
Dishes that use coconut milk are always better enjoyed with other foods. So we have here a list of foods that go well with our menu.
Rice is always a good pair with coconut milk-based dishes, and with flavorful fried rice, that makes the deal even better.
The sweet and slightly tangy chicken hamonado complements the rich and creamy sauce of our recipes. The contrasting flavors balance each other out.
Soupy and creamy dishes are always a good tandem with foods that has a contrasting texture. That is why the crunchy and chewy Calamares is excellent with our menu.
Conclusion
Creativity and ingenuity are the keys to making any ingredients into a culinary masterpiece. And that is our goal: to make you an expert home cook. And with this information and tips in cooking Ginataang sitaw, we are sure that you'll be able to replicate the recipes and even create your very own version of it.
So until next time. Happy cooking!
For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!
Recipe
Best Ginataang Sitaw Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 pcs String Beans cut into 3-inch
- 1 lb Pork cut into strips
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 pc Onion diced
- ½ teaspoon Salt taste
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 cup Coconut milk
- ½ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pan. Saute garlic and onion until golden brown.
- Add the pork, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Pour-in water and boil for 10 minutes or until the pork is tender.
- Add the string beans and cook while covered for about 10 minutes.
- Put the coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve hot and enjoy!