Lent is a time Filipino Catholics abstain from meat every Friday. And if you’re looking for new recipes to include in your ulam arsenal, turn to Pinoy vegetable dishes that don’t break the bank. Take gising gising, for example. It’s an oft-overlooked dish that’s nutritious, economical, and super sarap. If you’ve never tried it before, consider it a close relative of Bicol express.

The best gising gising recipe should stay true to its name – spicy enough to wake the taste buds. For its sauce, you’d want to marry creaminess and heat without one overpowering the other. As for the main ingredient, traditional recipes use sigarilyas (winged beans). But if you can’t find any, replace it with kangkong. Lastly, add shredded tinapa to the pot for a nice, smoky finish. Ready to give it a try?

Ingredients for a Gising Gising Recipe

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pc onion, chopped
• 1 pc ginger, sliced diagonally
• 1 pack Knorr Ginataang Gulay Mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 bundle kangkong, sliced thinly
• 2 pcs siling labuyo, sliced
• 1 pc tinapa, shredded
• salt and pepper

How to Cook Gising Gising

Step 1 :

Heat oil in a pot over medium flame. Sauté garlic and onion until slightly brown. Add ginger and sauté until fragrant.

Step 2:

Dissolve Knorr Ginataang Gulay Mix in water before adding to the pot. Lower heat and simmer for a few minutes.

Step 3

Add kangkong and sili; simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add tinapa and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

To make the perfect gising gising, it’s crucial to prep the water spinach correctly. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep the kangkong fresh by wrapping the stems in damp paper towels before storage. You can also place the vegetables in water like a floral bouquet.
2. Use all parts of the vegetable for this recipe. Even the main stalk is edible, but you must sauté and simmer it longer.
3. Add the stems first before the leaves, like when cooking sinigang. Once the kangkong turns dark, you can already switch off the heat.

If you love viands steeped in coconut milk, you’ll adore this kangkong gising gising. What makes this recipe incredibly easy is the use of quick-cooking greens. The smokiness of the tinapa also adds a depth of savoriness to an otherwise simple dish. Try making versions featuring shrimp, tofu, or fried danggit, too. Who says you need to stick to one kind this Lenten season?