Ginisang Chayote (Sautéed Chayote Squash)

Posted byNoriePosted inRecipe, Side dishes, VegetablesTags:

With Shrimp

This dish is like any “Ginisa” like Ginisang Ampalaya.

So, essentially the ingredients are very similar, except I used salt pork instead of bacon grease. 

  • 2 chayote squash, peeled and seeded, cut into thin pieces as in the picture. 
  • 1 med. Onion, sliced thin
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 med. Tomato diced (optional)
  • ¼ pound fresh shrimp, shelled
  • ¼ cup diced or julienned salt pork
  • 1 cup shrimp broth
  • Patis or Salt and Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. MSG

To cut up chayote squash, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into about 1 in. thick lengthwise.  Peel each section with a potato peeler then slice off the seed.  Slice into small and thin pieces, about 1/4 inch thick, slightly angled.  Set aside.

Put the salt pork in a wok and add about ¼ cup water.  Cook until the fat is rendered and until it is browned.  Set aside and sauté the garlic until fragrant followed by the onion then the tomatoes and stir until tomatoes are soft, pressing as you stir.

Stir in the shrimp, cook until pink then add about 1 cup of the shrimp broth. Bring to boiling and add the chayote squash.  Season with patis if desired or just salt and pepper.

To make the shrimp broth, boil the shrimp shells and heads in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water.  Strain and set the broth aside.

If you don’t have the shrimp shells add 1 cup of water and use 1 cube shrimp bouillon.  Omit the salt but generously add black pepper. 

Season to taste. 

This is considered a main dish eaten with rice but it is also a good side dish to any fried fish or pork chops.

This recipe is also good with Upo squash and also cucumbers.  But I prefer cucumbers cooked with ground meat as in Ginisang Green Beans.

Using the same recipe, you can also use cauliflower.