Tinola Manok is a traditional chicken soup from the Philippines. Its delicious and very easy to prepare. Makes a perfect meal on a cold night or if you are feeling under the weather.
Here is what you need:
1 onion sliced
5 cloves of garlic crushed
2 thumbs of ginger minced (can also use a microplane)
olive oil
salt
fish sauce (patis)
green papaya cubed (or bok choy or spinach)
7 cups of water
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs sliced into bite sized pieces
rice to serve with the soup
Here is how you make it:
- In a large pot, heat some olive oil
- Add the onion, season with a little salt, a splash of fish sauce and cook until the onions are translucent
- Add the garlic and ginger, cook some more
- Add the chicken, a pinch of salt and a splash of the fish sauce
- Brown the chicken on all side
- Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer
- Simmer for about 30 minutes. Then add the green papaya (I prefer to use bok choy or spinach but the green papaya is the traditional ingredient)
- Simmer for another 15 minutes
- Season with the fish sauce and salt. Taste, and season more, with salt or fish sauce, if needed.
The first taste should be of the fish sauce but not overpowering, then you get a bit of sweetness and aroma from the onion, ginger, garlic, and then savory from the chicken. You may also want to skim any white foam off the top before serving.
Pour into soup bowls and serve with a plate of rice!
