Sigarilyas or sitaw? Gising-gising, the Filipino dish of pork and veg cooked in spicy coconut milk, has room for two vegetables. We say use both. A quick simmer lets both beans soak up the sauce while retaining a bit of crunch. Using sliced pork belly instead of ground meat adds heft and a contrast of texture.
What is sigarilyas? What is sitaw?
Sigarilyas goes by many names, like winged beans or asparagus beans (because of its asparagus-like flavor) in English. In Southeast Asia, they’re called dragon beans or four-angled beans because of their frilled, wing-like edges.
Sitaw, or long beans in English, is a slender, whip-like bean variety different from Baguio beans or green beans, which are shorter and more tender.
Both vegetables have a slight crunch that make them great in stir-fries and saucy, simmered dishes (like gising-gising!).
Slice sigarilyas and sitaw into the same size
Slicing vegetables to the same length helps them cook evenly. Irregular cuts may cause some of your veg to overcook while undercooking others.
For this recipe, we sliced our sigarilyas and sitaw into the same small, bite-sized pieces at least ¼-inch thick.
