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Tinola [Gingery Chicken Stew]

Posted by Mathy Kandasamy | Filed under Filipino, chicken, Ginger, Archives

Tinola is a soup-based Filipino dish which is served as a side dish along with Rice. Tinola is a perfect dish to bring out ginger’s wonderful spicyness. The brevity of ingredients adds to the beauty of this simple dish. My friend, who taught me tells me that this is a comfort food for most of her compatriots. She taught me her favourite version with chicken. It seems Tinola could be cooked with pork or fish. The gingery chicken stew is called Tinolang Manok. The original version contained Chicken, green papaya(or chayote), chilli shoots and leaves. The chilli leaves lend a wonderful peppery taste to the stew. Chilli leaves could be found in Oriental stores but could be replaced by Drumstick leaves or Murungai leaves as we say in Tamil.

A bit of deviation.

The Filipinos use Drumstick leaves extensively in their cuisine and call them moringa leaves or as marungay or kalamungay. This for me is further proof that the Tamils went beyond Cambodia & Thailand. Interesting how much you can learn from food. Eh?

Recipe:

Chicken thigh: one lb cut into pieces
Chayote: one, cut into pieces
Small Onion: one, sliced
Ginger: 2 Table Spoon, scrapped (adjust according to taste)
Garlic: 2 pods, minced
Patis(Fish Sauce): 2 teaspoon (according to taste)
Chilli leaves and shoots: 1/4 cup (I substituted Murungai leaves. Spinach or Baby Bok-choy could be used)
[Anybody remember the book “Eats, Shoots & Leaves”? ]
Oil: 1 tablespoon, (I used Canola)

Heat oil. Add ginger. Wait for a few seconds and add garlic. stir around a few times. Add onion and continue sauteing.

Add the chicken. Mix nicely, cover the pan and let the chicken cook in its juices.

Pour in a cup of water. Please be careful here. Dont add too much water. This is would dilute the delicate flavours and Tinola would endup tasteless.

Add patis. This Filipino fish sauce would provide all the salt needed. Add according to taste. The Filipinos continuously taste the dishes as they cook. It might be a good idea here. Taste and keep adjusting to your taste. If you have any other fish sauce, feel free to use them.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Add chayote and cook for another 5 minutes or until chayote is cooked through.

Add Chilli leaves or Murungai leaves just before switching off heat and cook for an extra two minutes.

Serve hot with Jasmine rice.

This is my entry for the �Jihva for Ginger� hosted by Rosie of �What�s the recipe today, Jim?� from Scotland.

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