Batso nga Tabungaw

This is a sponsored post by Maggi. All opinions are mine alone.

Level up your ginisang upo with this tasty Ilocano Batso nga Tabungaw recipe! It's delicious, nutritious, easy to make, and budget-friendly. This mouthwatering vegetable dish is perfect with your favorite grilled meat or fried fish!

Bottle gourd, known as calabash or locally as upo, is a vine-growing fruit cultivated in tropical, warm climates. The young fruits are edible and mainly consumed as a vegetable, while mature gourds are made into ornaments, utensils, or containers.

I love upo as it has a mild, delicate flavor with a hint of sweetness that lends well to various cooking applications. It's also relatively cheap and plentiful year-round. If you want more ways to enjoy it, check out my pancit upo and sotanghon at upo soup recipes.

What is Batso nga Tabungaw

Batso or batcho is an Ilocano-style upo dish sauteed in onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It's flavored with bagoong monamon and annatto powder. Pork or shrimp is usually added for protein and flavor boost.

Ingredient notes

• Upo- For the best results, choose young gourds. They should be firm and have smooth, light green skin free of bruises, spots, or yellow discolorations.
• Oil- use a neutral-tasting oil such as avocado, canola, or vegetable oil. Skip depending on how fatty or lean the ground pork is.
• Ground pork- for protein and extra flavor. You can also use shrimp or other cuts of pork, such as belly (liempo) or shoulder (kasim).
• Shallots, garlic, and tomatoes- the trinity of Filipino "guisado" cooking.
• Bagoong monamon- fermented anchovies that provide a saltiness and umami boost. If preferred, you can substitute fish sauce (patis).
• Annatto powder or seeds- also called achiote or atsuete. Gives the dish a deep red-orange color and a nutty, peppery-sweet taste
• Magic Sarap- all-purpose seasoning granules for an extra punch of flavor
• Water- you can substitute pork broth to add depth.
• Salt and pepper- enhance flavor and add a hint of zing

Cooking steps

1. Prepare upo by peeling the skin and dicing it into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. When the gourd is young, the seeds are tender and edible. If it is more mature, scoop out the seeds and spongy interior, as the seeds can be too hard to consume and the spongy flesh mushy when cooked.
2. Saute shallots and garlic in a pan with hot oil until aromatic.
3. Cook ground pork, breaking apart with the back of the spoon, until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and cook until softened and release juices.
4. Add water and simmer the meat until fully cooked. Add upo to the pan. Dissolve the annatto powder in hot water and add to the pan.
5. Season with Magic Sarap and bagoong monamon. Stir to distribute.
6. Cook until upo is tender-crisp. Take it off the heat a tad firmer than you like, as it will continue to cook and soften in the residual heat. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. 

How to serve and store

• This Ilocano-style ginisang upo with giniling is delicious as a main dish with steamed rice, your favorite grilled liempo, or fried fish such as daing na bangus.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Upo doesn't freeze well; it loses its texture and becomes mushy when frozen or thawed.
• Reheat in a wide pan over medium heat to 165 F, stirring well to distribute heat. Or microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until heated, stirring well between intervals.