Gising Gising

During a recent trip back to the Philippines, I had one of those “Where has this been all my life?” moments. Somewhere between the lechon, the kakanin, and the inevitable food coma, someone handed me a small bowl of something I’d never tried or even heard of.

The dish was Gising Gising. Winged green beans called sigarilyas. Ground pork. Coconut milk. Chilies.

It was creamy, spicy, garlicky, and totally hypnotic. The heat built slowly, curling around every bite like a warm hug with sharp elbows. “Gising-gising” literally means “Wake up! Wake up!” because this creamy, coconut milk-based dish comes with a spicy kick that'll jolt your senses in the best way. It was spicy in the way I couldn’t stop eating it.

This dish made me realize I’m still discovering Filipino dishes I’ve never tried, and I’ve been eating Filipino food my entire life. That’s the beauty of our cuisine. It’s endlessly regional, deeply personal, and full of hidden gems like this.

Ingredients:

1 lb sigarilyas (winged beans) or green beans, sliced thinly 
1/2 lb ground pork or ground chicken
1 tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
2–3 Thai chilies or siling labuyo, sliced (adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp bagoong (shrimp paste) and fish sauce for umami

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant.

2. Add ground pork or chicken. Cook until browned.

3. Stir in chopped sigarilyas or green beans, and the chilies. Cook 2–3 minutes.

4. Add coconut milk, shrimp paste and fish sauce. Simmer uncovered for 5–8 minutes until beans are tender but not mushy.

5. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with more chopped chilis. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Slightly earthy and perfect against the creamy coconut milk and spicy chilies