Gising Gising

Gising gising is best to partner when you’re cooking Sinigang. Our ancestors probably thought of the best way to make use of kangkong stalks left over than just discarding it. I am not sure why it is called that name, but they probably named it Gising gising because of the spicy adrenalin it gives.

Ingredients:

1 bundle kangkong stalks, sliced into thin rings

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

1/2 head garlic, peeled and mashed

a thumb of ginger, peeled and diced finely

3-5 pcs Thai chilis (cayenne pepper), or green chilis (pansigang), sliced

100 g ground pork

1 shrimp broth cube (or 1 1/2 teaspoons of shrimp powder)

1 ½ tbsp bagoong (shrimp paste)

2 cups coconut milk

3 tbsp cooking oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, and saute onions until soft and fragrant. Add in ginger and garlic, stir fry for 1 minute. Add in chilis and ground pork. Season with a small pinch of salt. Stir fry for two minutes or until the ground pork becomes brownish. Then add bagoong and saute for 1 or 2 minutes more.

Add coconut milk and let it boil. Continue stirring until coconut milk becomes slightly thick.

Add in crushed shrimp broth cube. Adjust heat to low and let mixture simmer for about 1 more minute.

Stir in the kangkong stalk ringlets. Let it boil and simmer for about two minutes, until the the stalks are cooked. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste preference.

Serve hot and enjoy!