Ginataang Langka with Sitaw and Green Chili

Ginataang langka is a practical way to turn young jackfruit into a rich vegetable main dish. This version adds sitaw for texture and a whole green chili for gentle heat. It serves four with rice. Allow about 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking; canned young jackfruit makes the prep faster.

Ingredients

• 500 g young green jackfruit, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces; use young jackfruit in water, not sweet ripe jackfruit in syrup
• 200 g sitaw, trimmed and cut into 5 cm lengths
• 1 small onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; and 1 tablespoon sliced ginger
• 400 ml unsweetened coconut milk plus 150 ml water
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, 1 whole green chili, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and salt to taste
• Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes for a hotter finish

Cook the vegetables

1. Rinse canned jackfruit well and squeeze it gently to remove excess brine. If using fresh young jackfruit, boil the pieces first until just tender, then drain.
2. Warm the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic deeply.
3. Add jackfruit and toss to coat. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the coconut does not scorch.
4. Add sitaw and the whole chili. Simmer another 6–8 minutes, until the beans are tender but still green and the sauce lightly coats the jackfruit.
5. Season with soy sauce and salt, tasting before adding more because canned jackfruit can retain salt. Remove the whole chili if you want mild servings. Serve hot with rice.

Make it work in your kitchen

If the sauce thickens before the jackfruit is soft, add a splash of water and keep the heat low. If it is thin, simmer uncovered briefly rather than boiling hard. For a creamier finish, replace part of the water with coconut cream, but stir often. The dish is vegetarian as written; check the label of packaged seasoning if that matters to you.

For a sweeter coconut dish that uses a different kind of jackfruit, see our ginataang mais with langka. That recipe uses ripe fruit; do not substitute it here because ripe langka changes the savory flavor and texture.

Common question

Can I add dried fish or shrimp? Yes, but then the dish is no longer vegetarian. Fry or simmer the add-in separately until fully cooked and reduce the salt before seasoning the sauce.