Tinolang Manok

Very happy to see fresh malunggay leaves at the asian supermarket this morning.  Here in the US it is such a rare commodity that more often than not, i had to substitute it with spinach.  So just imagine my surprise and excitement when i found bundles of it at the supermarket, never mind that one bundle (about 10 branches) costs $3.28.

In the Philippines, malunggay trees can be easily grown everywhere and if you don't have one, you can always ask for some leaves from a neighbor (for free!).  Until now, i can visualize myself painstakingly pulling each and every leaf out of the branches while mama boils the chicken and cut the other vegetables that go with the dish.  It wasn't one of my favorite chores back then.

Yet here i am now going crazy over the mere sight of it! haha.  What's a pretty girl to do? Cook one of every filipino's favorite dishes, Tinolang Manok.  It's a chicken stew with ginger and vegetables.  The vegetables, of course, are usually green papaya and malunggay leaves.  Chayote can also be used in lieu of the green papaya.  The result is a hot and steamy chicken stew perfect for those cold rainy days or when you or anyone in the family are hit by cold or flu.  It works like magic! :)


TINOLANG MANOK

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thumbs garlic, cut in strips (can be adjusted to personal taste, i usually put more ginger)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 tbsp. fish sauce
10 cups rice washing or chicken broth
1 green papaya or chayote, sliced into wedges
2 cups malunggay leaves or pepper leaves or spinach
salt and pepper


1.  Saute the garlic, onion and ginger in hot cooking oil, cook until soft.
2.  Drop in pieces of chicken, season with fish sauce
3.  Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
4.  Add the rice washing (or chicken broth), put to a boil and simmer until chicken is tender (about 40 minutes)
5.  Add the papaya (or chayote) wedges and cook for 5 minutes.
6.  Add the malunggay leaves (or pepper leaves or spinach).
7.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 
8.  Serve hot.