Food Recipes Dinner Stews Got Coconut Milk? Make Ginataang Gulay, a Cozy Filipino Vegetable Stew 5.0 (1) 1 Review Chef Lawrence Letrero’s version of a traditional stew from the Philippines gently stews seasonal vegetables in creamy coconut milk until just tender for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner. By Lawrence Letrero Lawrence Letrero Lawrence Letrero’s bold, inventive cooking has earned him a reputation as one of the most creative chefs in Chicago. He owns and operates Bayan Ko, a restaurant influenced by his Filipino heritage and the Spanish-Cuban heritage of his wife and co-owner, Raquel Quadreny. The restaurant name means “my country”, or “my home” in Tagalog, and shows the couple’s desire to stay true to their roots and represent the American melting pot. Letrero creates dishes that respect the classic dishes their lolas and abuelas made for them growing up. His vision is to keep their family recipes alive, while incorporating their own interpretations of both their culture’s food. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 22, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 4 servings Ginataang refers to a wide array of Filipino comfort foods cooked with coconut milk. The rich, fragrant canned good brings big flavor in a short amount of time. Lawrence Letrero of Bayan Ko in Chicago shared a recipe for this version, which uses vegetables like hearty sweet potato, colorful Japanese eggplant, and snappy haricots verts in the Filipino stew, but feel free to customize and lean into your favorite seasonal vegetables to make this a year-round favorite. “Ginataang Gulay is a traditional Filipino dish,” Letrero says. “In Tagalog, ‘gulay’ means ‘vegetable,’ and ‘ginataang’ means ‘done or cooked with coconut milk.’ At the restaurant, we like to keep most of our dishes fairly traditional but also add our own special twist. While most ginataang gulay recipes call to cook the vegetables all at once, our version at Bayan Ko cooks the vegetables in separate batches to keep their integrity.” Frequently asked questions Can I freeze coconut milk? If you have an extra can of coconut milk, you can store it in a freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to store coconut milk in ice cube trays, pour the coconut milk into the cube trays and defrost when needed. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen This recipe is extremely versatile and you can choose your favorite, seasonal vegetables to make this stew all year long. For a lighter, slightly sweeter potato, substitute Japanese sweet potatoes for regular sweet potatoes. Although this version is vegan, you can add shrimp or sliced chicken breasts for protein. Cooking techniques While most traditional versions of ginataang gulay require cooking the vegetables until soft, the vegetables in Letrero's dish are blanched separately to avoid muddled flavors or overcooking. The vegetables then soak up the flavors of the aromatic coconut milk slowly without falling apart. Suggested pairing To balance out the flavors of rich and creamy coconut milk, we recommend a fruity, low-tannin red such as Laura Lardy Gourde a Gamay Beaujolais Villages. Make ahead Fully cooled ginataan gulay can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Ingredients 4 ounces haricots verts, halved crosswise (about 1 1/4 cups) 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons (about 3 cups) 3 medium japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons (3 cups) 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 3 tablespoons canola oil 1 large white onion, thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 10 garlic cloves, minced 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons) 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste 2 (13.6-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus mint leaves for garnish 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or chile paste Cooked jasmine rice and lime wedges, for serving Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. In separate batches, cook the vegetables (in this order: haricots verts, zucchini, eggplant, and sweet potato) until each vegetable is almost al dente, 1 minute and 30 seconds for haricots verts, 2 to 3 minutes for zucchini and eggplant, and 6 to 8 minutes for sweet potatoes. Drain vegetables, and transfer to a baking sheet; set aside. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add onion, garlic, ginger, salt, and black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, scraping bottom of Dutch oven to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Fold in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved vegetables. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, mint, scallions, lime juice, and sambal oelek. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves; serve with rice and lime wedges. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, October 2023 Rate It Print