Ginataang Gulay ( Vegetables in Coconut Milk )

        I believe many will agree with me that Filipino dishes with coconut milk ( gata ) easily become the most requested dishes by expats when they come home. So, let's let this be our primer on Gata; ( pronounced with short /a/ sounds, quickly, with stress on the second syllable) whenever you see the word; ginataan, this means smothered with, flavored with, or swimming in rich, velvety coconut milk.

Ginataang Gulay

        Good thing, I have never heard of any one having any allergies to coconut milk. Coconut milk is of course, non-dairy and is produced when the grated meat of mature coconuts are extracted by hand or machine. There are two classifications; kakang gata, or the mother coconut milk, is simply the first extraction, usually, about a cup.  The subsequent extractions; simply called gata, are made by adding hot water to the pressed, grated coconut, and is usually the watered-down versions. TIP: In cooking with coconut milk, unless specified, cooking is done with the second and third extractions first. When the dish is almost done, the kakang-gata is added as a finishing touch. And this is where the most delicious aroma of tropical proportions fill the kitchen, and draw the family members to the kitchen to spy on what's cooking.

        Because cooking with gata almost always means having to buy a mature coconut at the wet market, cracking the shell, grating the meat and then pressing them by hand ( a genuine labor of love, if I may say so); most modern cooks simply opt to buy the powdered gata available in pouches in the supermarkets. But, it is not uncommon for cooks to complain of using two or three pouches, but still not getting the taste just right.

        Below are images from the web of coconut graters that Filipinos use. The first image is the most common, we call that kudkuran (grater). To use it would mean sitting on the seat, holding half of the coconut shell with both hands and pressing the coconut meat against the sharp toothed grater in a sweeping downward motion. Believe me, it is quite an upper body work out,  taking anywhere from 7-15 minutes per half a shell, depending on your speed. The 2nd one is a whimsical design and the 3rd is a stainless steel, table grater.

traditional kudkuran ( coconut grater)

whimsical kudkuran

tabletop, handheld

         These next three images will show how coconut grating is done in the wet markets and groceries 1, and the two other options that you might want to use to get the job done.

electric grater

hand grating, old school

hand drill, why not?

       For the longest time, I maintained a fresh-or nothing stance on gata. That is, until I found one that was made without preservatives and captured the very essence of REAL kakang-gata. So, allow me to heartily recommend Buco Coconut Cream Powder. I have been using these for two years, and recommend these to anyone. One 50 g pouch can make me at least three delicious dishes. I think it's amazing how they have captured the taste, the aroma, even the tiny brown bits that appears on naturally grated coconut. Although they do come in variants of liquid coconut milk, toasted, shaved, dessicated and such, I stick with the powder, and am very happy with it. I wouldn't send a loved one abroad without packing some of these in, for when they miss home cooking. Oh, and by the way, they sell these at Amazon.com now.

Buco Coconut Cream Powder

          Another reason I now prefer this method and brand is, that I don't have to use up the entire package all at once. Unlike fresh coconut milk, which must be used and cooked within the day, I can simply fold and clip, and refrigerate the unused portions for later use. You may also opt to dissolve some of the powder in a little water for ease of use, but I prefer mine straight from the package. When feeling particularly generous, I use up the entire pouch, just so I can savor all the  creamy goodness of coconut milk.

     Let's cook vegetables this time.

INGREDIENTS:

Ginataang Gulay ingredients

1 - 1 1/2 cups sliced  kalabasa (fresh pumpkins)
1 bundle, around 12 pieces sitaw (string or pole beans), cut into 2-inch lengths
1 clove bawang (garlic), minced
1 small sibuyas (onion), sliced
1 small kamatis (tomato), sliced
50 g. or about 1/3 cup ground or sliced pork 
1 - 2 T Buco Coconut Cream Powder or 1 cup liquid coconut milk

PROCEDURE:

1. Saute garlic, onions and tomato. Add the meat and about a cup of water ( or the liquid coconut milk ) to cook the meat. Cover and cook for about 8-12 minutes.

2. Add the string beans, cover for about 4 minutes. Add the sliced pumpkins and cook until both vegetables are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low.

String beans, first in

Pumpkin next

3. Cut open the pouch and sprinkle about  a tablespoon or more of Buco Coconut Cream powder and stir to dissolve. The sauce will slightly thicken, and there will be undissolved blobs of coconut cream. ( I sometimes intentionally do not dissolve some, because I love biting into them, come mealtime). Stirring the sauce will completely dissolve the powder. Turn off heat.

4. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice and fried fish or dried fish. Ginataan dishes compliment fried dishes very well.

NOTE: Coconut milk is absolutely delicious, and Filipinos love to use them on everything from main dishes to snacks to desserts. 

        My mom, may she rest in peace, used to manage one of Cebu's best-loved Fried Chicken Houses; Sunburst here in Davao during its heyday.  For the restaurant, they used evaporated milk instead of coconut milk, so as not to have to deal with the latter's spoilage. This means, you may use evaporated milk as a substitute when coconut milk is unavailable, the taste will be quite okay, but not as delish as using the real thing.

       I hope you enjoyed this post. Hanggang sa muli, Salamat! ( Until next time, thank you!)