Sotanghon at Upo Soup (Filipino Noodle Soup)

We’ve been really chilly here in LA, so it’s only natural that we want soup to warm us up. We saw some upo squash at the grocery and immediately thought of upo soup! This is a dish that our grandmother’s made on rainy or sick days.

If you’ve been in need of a heartwarming bowl of soup, read on for the recipe.

Sotanghon at upo soup is a Filipino dish made from glass noodles, chicken, and upo squash. This simple dish is characterized by mellow, heartwarming flavors of chicken, fish sauce, garlic, and onion.

Cooking with Upo Squash

The upo squash (also spelled “opo”) is a popular variant of calabash/bottle gourd that’s cultivated in Southeast Asia. It has a cylindrical shape, green skin, and white flesh.

Calabash is considered one of the first cultivated plants of the world, and has been cultivated throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It comes in different shapes and sizes. Throughout world history, calabash are harvested fresh to consume for food, or dried then used to construct utensils and tools.

In the Philippines, upo is used as a cooking ingredient for soups. The flavor is very similar to zucchini squash and has a soft yet firm texture that’s great for cooking in broth and soups. It can also be slow roasted, pureed, baked, or grated.

To prepare upo, cut into large cubes or slices with the skin on. Some upo have large, hardened seeds which you will want to remove.

Interesting Fact: although upo squash is safe for consumption, it can be considered toxic in extreme cases. Cucurbitacins, which are found in fruits and vegetables of the cucumber family, are known to cause stomach ulcers when in high concentration. It is advised to not drink upo as a juice, especially in combination with improper storage and over-ripening. It’s important to note that this vegetable is safe for consumption and is only toxic in extreme cases.

Ingredients

Sotanghon at upo soup

• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• ½ large yellow onion sliced
• 1 lb chicken your choice of cut
• 6 cups water
• 2 carrots sliced
• 1 stalk celery sliced
• 1 upo squash sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp chicken bouillon
• 2 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 2 servings glass noodles about 7 oz/200g

Sotanghon noodles are mung bean thread noodles or glass noodles. The noodles we used in this recipe were sweet potato glass noodles, because we couldn’t find mung bean noodles in our area.

Patis is a fish sauce made from fermented fish and krill. It’s a Filipino pantry staple and is used as either dipping sauce or for flavoring soups. Some people love it, some hate it. It has a strong flavor so add a little bit at a time until you reach your desired taste.

Other ingredients you can include in your soup: leeks, cabbage, tofu, fish cake, etc.

Toppings

• chili peppers
• green onions
• cilantro
• fried onion or garlic
• salt & pepper

Instructions

Soak the glass noodles

1. If available, follow package instructions on preparing glass noodles. Otherwise, soak the glass noodles in room temp water for 30 minutes. Prepare the soup while it soaks.

Cook the chicken

1. Heat a pot to med-high. Saute garlic and onion until brown and fragrant.
2. Add chicken and cook until done. Remove from the pan. Slice into pieces or shred it using forks.

Cook the soup

1. Add 6 cups of water then bring to boil. Then add the chicken back in.
2. Lower the heat so the water is at a gentle boil. Skim the broth to remove impurities.
3. Add carrots, celery, upo, and mushrooms. Cook for 10 min.
4. Add salt, chicken bouillon, and patis. Adjust according to your taste preference.
5. Add glass noodles and cook for 4 min.
6. Serve in a bowl and add toppings.

How to Store Sotanghon at Upo Soup

This soup can be stored for up to 3 days. You can store the noodles and broth separately or together in one container. If stored together, note that glass noodles soak up the broth very easily. If needed, add 2 more cups of water + 1 tsp chicken bouillon + a dash of patis when you reheat the soup.

What to serve with upo soup

With Filipino cuisine, soups are often served with rice. The rice soaks up the broth so that every single drop is consumed and not wasted. Another way to eat this is with pandesal (bread rolls.) Simply dip the bread into the bread and take a bite!

We love to add toppings to our soups as well. We recommend chili peppers, green onions, cilantro, fried onion or garlic, salt & pepper. You can also add a hard boiled egg!

Final Thoughts

A Filipino version of chicken noodle soup, this one-pot recipe utilizes glass noodles and upo squash to absorb a lightly seasoned broth. If you’re looking for something warm and healthy to bring you back to the days of Lola’s cooking, look no further!

References & Further Reading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calabash

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Opo_Squash_396.php

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