Sauteed Chayote (Sayote Guisado)

When I was still in the Philippines and living with my family, this dish was on our table every week. We truly love all kinds of squashes especially Chayote (called Sayote in the Philippines). It such a well-loved dish that you can find Sayote Guisado in any cafeteria or canteen all over the country during lunch time. I often had this for lunch when I still worked for the Supreme Court. It’s almost like a soup that you have on the side, though it really isn’t a soup at all but more like a stew. And, you often serve this with rice. It’s also pretty cheap to prepare yet quite nutritious, too. You can make this dish with just chayote on its own but you can certainly add other vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli to the mix.

I am glad that I am not the only one who enjoys this dish. My husband who I thought would not enjoy this Filipino dish at all absolutely love this! My kids, especially William, love to eat this, too. So, if you’re looking for a completely gluten free dish that’s truly tasty and healthy then this is it! Don’t forget the rice.

Ingredients 

1 Tablespoon Olive or Vegetable oil (more if using non-stick pan)
4-6 Garlic cloves, chopped (love garlic so I always use a lot!)
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 lb ground Pork or Beef or a combo (whichever you fancy)
3 Roma or Plum tomatoes, diced and seeded (if desired)
3 Tablespoons Soy sauce (adjust it to the level of saltiness you can stand…)
½ cup Water
Salt and pepper
Patis / Fish sauce (optional)
3-4 Chayote, washed, peeled and sliced into chunks

Procedure

Heat oil in medium in a deep pan. Sauté the garlic and onions for about a 1-2 minutes.

Add the ground meat and cook until it changes its color. Crumble the meat with a fork to prevent clumping as you brown it. Season with a little salt and pepper. Instead of salt you may season it with fish sauce, to taste, if you are feeling a little adventurous!

Add the diced tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and water.

Bring to a boil. Cover then simmer on low heat for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the meat to absorb the flavor of the liquid. 

To the cooked Ground Pork/Beef Sauté, add the Chayote chunks (or other vegetables). Cook by simmering until the squash is tender about 10-15 minutes, depending on how big the chunks are. They should be tender but not mushy.

Correct the seasoning, if necessary with a little fish sauce (if using) or extra salt and soy sauce. Enjoy with a plate of rice! This is really delicious!

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Last updated on October 1st, 2019 at 09:57 am