Chicken Tuesdays: Tinolang Manok

Ingredients:

2 tbsps vegetable or corn oil
1 1/2 tbsps finely minced garlic
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 1/4 kg chicken, cut into serving pieces
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsps fish sauce
3 cups water
2 cups peeled and cubed green papaya
2 cups spinach leaves or watercress

Since there wasn’t any green papaya nor raw pawpaw available here (not even at the Asian grocery!), I decided to use potatoes instead. It didn’t make much of a difference, so long as I can smell and taste the ginger-y flavour. Have you any suggestion though for an alternative next time I cook Tinola?

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the garlic, onion and ginger until the garlic is brown and the onion translucent.
2. Add the chicken pieces and stir well until the chicken is partly cooked. Season with salt, pepper, and fish sauce if desired. Add the water then cover and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is tender.
3. Uncover the pot and add the papaya. Cook until tender. Turn off the heat and add the spinach leaves or watercress. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Tip: If you like this comforting and delectable ginger and chicken soup, you might also want to try and substitute mussels for the chicken!

Happy cooking!

Source: The Food of the Philippines
by Periplus World Cookbooks