Ginisang upo is a Filipino dish made with bottle gourd sautéed with garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
The upo has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and cooks quickly.
It's an easy meal to put together in less than 30 minutes.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Upo (bottle gourd): Choose one that feels firm, with no soft spots. Peel before cooking. Young upo has soft seeds you can leave in; remove the seeds if they're hard. Zucchini or sayote also work.
- Shrimp: I used peeled and deveined shrimp. You can substitute chicken, pork, tofu, or fish.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes. Cook them down until soft and starting to caramelize for more flavor.
- Oyster sauce: This adds flavor and a little sweetness. You can use fish sauce instead, adding a little at a time to taste.
- Chilies: Add them if you like some heat, or leave them out.
How to Make Ginisang Upo
Step 1: Prepare the upo
Rinse 1½ pounds of upo (bottle gourd) and peel off the skin. Cut it in half lengthwise.
If the seeds are soft, leave them in. If they're hard, scoop them out with a spoon.
Cut into bite-sized pieces, about ¼ inch thick. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce
In a small bowl, mix:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup water
Set aside.
Step 3: Sear the shrimp
Heat a little oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.
Season 8 ounces of shrimp (peeled and deveined) lightly with salt.
Sear for about 2 minutes total, until pink and opaque, then transfer to a plate. Larger shrimp may take longer.
Step 4: Sauté the aromatics
Lower the heat to medium and add more oil if needed.
Add 4 garlic cloves (minced) and ½ onion (finely chopped). Cook for about 2 minutes, until softened.
Add 2 ripe tomatoes (chopped). Cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and starting to caramelize.
If using, add 2 red or green chilies (sliced) and cook for another minute.
Step 5: Cook the upo
Add the upo and prepared sauce.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but still holding its shape.
The upo will release water as it cooks, so check the sauce before adding more water.
If you want less sauce, simmer uncovered a little longer.
Step 6: Add the shrimp
Return the shrimp to the pan and stir gently. Cook just until heated through.
Taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Turn off the heat.
Serve your ginisang upo with steamed rice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Upo is the Filipino name for bottle gourd, a vegetable with light green skin and white flesh. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and becomes tender when cooked.
Yes. Peel off the outer skin before slicing and cooking.
Yes, if they're soft and tender. If the seeds are hard, scoop them out with a spoon before slicing.
More Filipino Vegetable Recipes
- Stir-fried kangkong: Water spinach cooked with garlic.
- Ampalaya con carne: Bitter melon stir-fried with beef in a savory sauce.
- Ginisang pechay: Bok choy sautéed with garlic, usually with pork or shrimp.
- Ginisang ampalaya: Bitter melon cooked with aromatics and beaten eggs.
- Ginisang sayote: Chayote sautéed with aromatics and pork or shrimp.
- Ginisang okra: Okra sautéed with aromatics and pork or shrimp.
- Ginisang togue: Mung bean sprouts stir-fried with vegetables, tofu, and shrimp.
- Adobong sitaw: Yardlong beans cooked with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic.
- Adobong kangkong: Water spinach cooked in a classic adobo sauce.
Vegetable Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Ginisang Upo Recipe
Equipment
- Wok or large pan
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds upo (bottle gourd) peeled and thinly sliced; remove hard seeds if needed
- 8 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2 red or green chili peppers sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Neutral oil
Instructions
- Peel the upo and cut in half lengthwise. Remove hard seeds; leave soft seeds in. Cut into bite-sized pieces, about ¼ inch thick.
- Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and water in a bowl.
- Heat a little oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Lightly salt the shrimp and sear until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Cook garlic and onion until softened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add optional chilies and cook for a minute.
- Add upo and sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add water only if needed; the upo releases liquid as it cooks.
- Return shrimp and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat.
Notes
- Upo: Choose firm ones without soft spots. Peel and remove hard seeds; soft seeds can stay. Substitute zucchini or sayote.
- Shrimp: Use peeled and deveined shrimp, or substitute chicken, pork, tofu, or fish.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes; cook until soft and starting to caramelize.
- Oyster sauce: Substitute fish sauce, adding a little at a time to taste.
- Chilies: Optional; add for heat or leave out.
Mark says
Yum!!!
Nora Reyes says
Thanks, Mark!
Linda says
I am making this. I found upo in hmart. Thank you.
Nora Reyes says
Hi Linda! Thanks and I hope you enjoy! =)