Feel-good Filipino Ginger Soup: Tinolang Manok Soup Recipe

How to Make Tinolang Manok Soup

Two of the most popular “feel-good” Filipino soups are “tinolang manok” (stewed chicken) and “bulalo” (beef shank soup). These two dishes are perfect for cold rainy days, but many will disregard the warm weather and dig in anyway when offered either of these soups. Here is the first of the recipes for these delicious soups.

Tinolang Manok, Chicken Soup Filipino Style

Tinolang Manok is definitely one of the top comfort foods in any Filipino’s list. It is made with whole chicken cut up into serving pieces, chili leaves, onions, garlic, lots of ginger, and green papaya. If green papaya is not available, chayote can be used as a substitute.

To produce the best tinolang manok, one needs to have good stewing chicken. The most discriminating cooks will insist that the regular frozen poultry is not good enough. If at all possible, they want a newly slaughtered hen because that has more flavor to it. Here is a recipe for this awesome comfort food.

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken (cut into somewhat small pieces)

• ¼ cup ginger (cut into thin slivers or julienned)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced fine)
• 1 small onion (sliced into fine strips)
• 1 small green papaya (peeled, cut into wedges)1/2 cup chili leaves (do not to include any pepper buds – unless you want your soup to be hot)
• 1 TBSP fish sauce (patis)
• 3 ½ cups water
• 3 TBSP cooking oil

Procedure:

Preparing your Tinolang Manok Soup

• Sauté garlic, onion, and ginger in cooking oil.
• When the onions have caramelized, sauté the chicken pieces until they are a light, golden brown.
• Add the fish sauce and let cook for two minutes.
• Add water, let the mixture come to a boil.
• Simmer the mixture until the chicken is soft the add the papaya.
• When the papaya is soft, add the pepper leaves.
• Season to taste.

Now that you have prepared your soup, the only thing left to do is break out the bowls and spoons and eat your Tinolang Manok Soup.

Enjoy.