Are you still wondering what happened to “The Case of the Missing Papaya”?
This is how my mother taught me how to cook Chicken Tinola, a soup-dish that is a favorite among locals and foreigners as well. I can say that this is the Filipino way of preparing a hearty chicken soup for weary souls. It is very much a comfort food in every way, as it always reminds you of those pleasant memories of childhood, or the times when your mom tried to nurse you back from unsavory bouts of depression. You tend to gaze in wonder at the clear soup and blow some of its hot steam away; ever impatient even after you’ve been told so many times that it’s improper. I think I heard my father let out a sigh, as if in prayer, that day when the papaya went missing – that day when mother served Tinola for lunch.
The native chicken variety, the grazing for worm kind, is the key ingredient for this recipe. Its meat and broth is so much tastier than its bigger white feathered counterpart; although a little harder to catch. It should very well satisfy the palate of those who prefer organic food. It could still be easily found roaming in countryside farms or sold feet-bound in farmers’ markets. It would be less of a burden on your conscience to lop off its head than you would a cow, goat, sheep or pig, because among farm animals, the chicken seems to have the least amount of family or social life. You can always slaughter them or choose to go vegetarian. I promise never to give them names again like they were pets; we never got to taste Max, McDo, Wendy or Chikee.
While others would rather break the chicken by neck, there are other ways to get it done, depending on the recipe you are preparing. You can put the chicken in a sack and start slamming it around, but that is for an altogether different local chicken recipe called Pinikpikan. Some Tinola recipes would require you to collect the blood and coagulate it with rice. In this case, hold the chicken down firmly with its neck against a chopping board. Make sure that your blade is sharp enough to do a fast and clean job. Bring it down fast and hard enough to make sure you have it completely severed; do not hesitate – or you can always choose to be a vegetarian. Do not let go of the chicken anytime soon, or else you will find yourself blogging about the chicken that got away. Chickens have been known to run without heads on. If it can’t see where it’s going, it might end up in somebody else’s pot. You then dress up the chicken by plucking away its feathers; quite an irony. If this sounds complicated, just buy one in a supermarket.
I like my Tinola to have the taste of chicken stir fried in spices. I’m sure you would like this if you love Indian, Indo-Thai or Chinese food. In this recipe, ginger, garlic and onion is essential. It makes up for the lack of savory taste or umami because chicken meat has fewer glutamates, and I would never dare use MSG on my organic chicken. After stir frying the chicken, add in some “patis” or fish sauce to taste and let it caramelize as it melds into the sweating spices and chicken meat. The fish sauce contributes most to the savory saltiness or umami taste of this dish. You may then add enough water to cover the chicken and let it slowly cook in a simmering golden broth.
There are still key ingredients needed to complete this recipe. These can be found in most Filipino homes that still have some soil to plant on. These two are very hardy plants that can survive harsh environmental conditions. The leaves of the “Siling Labuyo” or Bird’s Eye Chili (some say Wild Cock Chili) is put in last. You may also want to add in some of the chili itself to make it hot. Before that, you should add in the papaya fruit (some call it tree melon), but not the ripe kind, and make sure it’s cooked soft enough to eat before you add the chili leaves.
Serve and enjoy it while it’s hot.
This is how my mother taught me how to cook Chicken Tinola, a soup-dish that is a favorite among locals and foreigners as well. I can say that this is the Filipino way of preparing a hearty chicken soup for weary souls. It is very much a comfort food in every way, as it always reminds you of those pleasant memories of childhood, or the times when your mom tried to nurse you back from unsavory bouts of depression. You tend to gaze in wonder at the clear soup and blow some of its hot steam away; ever impatient even after you’ve been told so many times that it’s improper. I think I heard my father let out a sigh, as if in prayer, that day when the papaya went missing – that day when mother served Tinola for lunch.
The native chicken variety, the grazing for worm kind, is the key ingredient for this recipe. Its meat and broth is so much tastier than its bigger white feathered counterpart; although a little harder to catch. It should very well satisfy the palate of those who prefer organic food. It could still be easily found roaming in countryside farms or sold feet-bound in farmers’ markets. It would be less of a burden on your conscience to lop off its head than you would a cow, goat, sheep or pig, because among farm animals, the chicken seems to have the least amount of family or social life. You can always slaughter them or choose to go vegetarian. I promise never to give them names again like they were pets; we never got to taste Max, McDo, Wendy or Chikee.
While others would rather break the chicken by neck, there are other ways to get it done, depending on the recipe you are preparing. You can put the chicken in a sack and start slamming it around, but that is for an altogether different local chicken recipe called Pinikpikan. Some Tinola recipes would require you to collect the blood and coagulate it with rice. In this case, hold the chicken down firmly with its neck against a chopping board. Make sure that your blade is sharp enough to do a fast and clean job. Bring it down fast and hard enough to make sure you have it completely severed; do not hesitate – or you can always choose to be a vegetarian. Do not let go of the chicken anytime soon, or else you will find yourself blogging about the chicken that got away. Chickens have been known to run without heads on. If it can’t see where it’s going, it might end up in somebody else’s pot. You then dress up the chicken by plucking away its feathers; quite an irony. If this sounds complicated, just buy one in a supermarket.
I like my Tinola to have the taste of chicken stir fried in spices. I’m sure you would like this if you love Indian, Indo-Thai or Chinese food. In this recipe, ginger, garlic and onion is essential. It makes up for the lack of savory taste or umami because chicken meat has fewer glutamates, and I would never dare use MSG on my organic chicken. After stir frying the chicken, add in some “patis” or fish sauce to taste and let it caramelize as it melds into the sweating spices and chicken meat. The fish sauce contributes most to the savory saltiness or umami taste of this dish. You may then add enough water to cover the chicken and let it slowly cook in a simmering golden broth.
There are still key ingredients needed to complete this recipe. These can be found in most Filipino homes that still have some soil to plant on. These two are very hardy plants that can survive harsh environmental conditions. The leaves of the “Siling Labuyo” or Bird’s Eye Chili (some say Wild Cock Chili) is put in last. You may also want to add in some of the chili itself to make it hot. Before that, you should add in the papaya fruit (some call it tree melon), but not the ripe kind, and make sure it’s cooked soft enough to eat before you add the chili leaves.
Serve and enjoy it while it’s hot.
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