Good Flavor, but Don’t Compromise on the Texture

August 10, 2024 by soLing

When I ended up not using a squash for the intended recipe, the result was something more flavorful, but with a mix of firmness.

Below are some links to more details, including photos:

• My Story
• Inspiring Recipe
  • First Try
    • Ingredients to Use
    • Steps to Prepare
    • Time to Eat
    • Recipe Rating
  • Second Try
    • Ingredients to Use
    • Steps to Prepare
    • Time to Eat
    • Recipe Rating
• Continuous Improvement
• Lesson for Dumber Self
• Next Step for You

My Story

Originally, I bought an Opo squash to make beef short rib soup (Galbitang), but decided to use the ribs for a different recipe. As a result, I had to find another idea for the squash.

Inspiring Recipe

After seeing a simple recipe, Ginisang Upo (Sautéed Opo Squash with Shrimp), from the blog, Seaside Recipes, I decided to go with it because of the flexibility to substitute the shrimp with any meat.

First Try

Since I had the majority of the ingredients listed on the recipe, I just had to purchase an onion and a tomato.

Ingredients to Use

I followed the amounts listed in the recipe for all the ingredients except for the produce. For those items, I tried to use extra onion and tomato, as estimated using a couple of online references*, to make up for the shortfall of squash. What I ended up setting out was the following:

1. 2.54 pounds of Opo squash
2. 1 tablespoon of oil
3. 1 small onion (6.35 ounces)
4. 4 cloves of garlic
5. 1 pound of ground beef (substituted for the shrimp due to availability)
6. 1 medium tomato (4.64 ounces)
7. 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
8. 1 teaspoon of fish sauce
9. 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
10. ⅛ teaspoon of ground black pepper
11. Salt

* The article from the CulinaryLore’s website, What Size are Small, Medium and Large Onions and How Much Does Each Yield Chopped? and the post, Fresh Tomato Weights (Ultimate Guide With Charts & Calculator), from the site, Weigh School, were helpful references.

Steps to Prepare

For the cooking process, I made a few minor tweaks as shown below:

• Step 2 – Cooked the ground beef until brown
• Step 3 – Added the soy sauce along with the rest of the sauces since the recipe didn’t specify when to introduce it
• Step 4 – Skipped the salt because the dish was salty enough

Time to Eat

After a short amount of cooking time, the dish was ready for dinner!

Recipe Rating

Below are the results of the recipe after the first try:

# of Ingredients	Effort	$ / Serving	Try Again?
11

Some parts of the squash were harder than others, but they were still good and not overly soft. In addition, the flavor of the beef was great, especially with the fish sauce.

Second Try

For the second attempt, my goal was to cook the squash until the pieces were evenly tender.

Ingredients to Use

Again, I tried adhering to the default recipe, but ended up with the following amounts for the produce:

1. 3.66 pounds of Opo squash
2. 1 small onion (7.8 ounces)
3. 1 small tomato (2.57 ounces)

In addition, the soy sauce and black pepper available in the kitchen cabinet had changed since the first try.

Steps to Prepare

When it came to the process the second time around, it was very similar to before. However, I did note more details on what I did in the following steps:

• Step 2 – Cooked the ground beef until brown (for 4 minutes)
• Step 3 – Simmered the ingredients for 10 minutes, stirred, and cooked for another 5 minutes

Time to Eat

As shown below, the squash looked softer than what came out during the first try.

Recipe Rating

Below are the results of the recipe from the second attempt:

# of Ingredients	Effort	$ / Serving	Try Again?
11

After biting into the Opo squash, the pieces were definitely softer, but I was glad that they weren’t mushy. Also, there was enough flavor from all the different sauces.

Due to availability, I substituted the shrimp in the recipe with ground beef, but for a more substantial protein, I will try the following next time:

Continuous Improvement

1. Add shrimp, as noted in the default recipe.

By changing my original plan for the Opo squash, I learned how to make a dish that I never would’ve otherwise. Because of this, I want to share the following with my younger self:

Lesson for Dumber Self

1. Follow your cravings!

What will you do now?

Next Step for You

1. Try the recipe, Ginisang Upo (Sautéed Opo Squash with Shrimp), from the blog, Seaside Recipes?
2. Share your favorite Opo squash recipe?
3. Ask a question or leave a note in the Comment box below about this post?

It’s your choice!