The Pilgrim's Pots and Pans

Below is a recipe for the easiest chicken soup I can think of. In some provinces, tinola can also be cooked using pork and fish but in Pampanga, it is usually with chicken. Every now and then frogs are also cooked this way.

This recipe is very good for both summer and rainy days, served hot and tangy. The ginger is both refreshing and warming. The best fowl for this recipe is the free-range variety but any would do as long as you stay away from spring chickens because the soup will not be as tasty.

On substituting ingredients, I have to be honest and say I haven’t cooked this out of the country but I think unripe papayas and fresh chilli leaves are available in Oriental stores. However, I’d like to ask your cooperation and experiment with substitute ingredients that may be more readily available, if not cheaper.

For green papaya, the first choice of substitute is sayote. If unavailable try very unripe melon, the honey dew variety. I think the texture and sweetness would be similar although honey dew does not have papaya’s meat tenderising properties and the chicken has to be cooked longer. If fresh chilli leaves are unavailable, try spinach. Arugula might also do.

Some would cook tinola with peppercorns but I do not. I tried it once and it tastes like a cross between nilaga and tinola. You may wish to experiment though.

Tinola

Ingredients:

1 kg. chicken sliced into desired portions
4 tbsp. crushed ginger (I usually use a more than a handful, add more if desired)
1 small unripe papaya, skinned and sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 cup loosely packed fresh chilli leaves
1 tsp. salt or fish sauce
1 tsp. cooking oil

1. Heat cooking oil in a casserole and sauté ginger till golden brown;
2. Add chicken and stir till sealed on all sides and lightly salt. Pour a cup of water and apply high heat till it boils. Lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size and toughness of the chicken. Add two cups of water, half cup at a time;
3. Put in the papaya and let simmer for around 5-10 minutes or till tender. It’s done if a fork can pierce the papaya without too much pressure;
4. Add the chilli leaves and turn off heat after one minute.

This dish is best served with freshly steamed rice and a tiny saucer of fish sauce to dip into.