Tinola
One of the most homely dishes of the Philippines, mentioned even in José Rizal's 19th-century novel “Noli Me Tangere”. It is a clear, warming chicken broth with plenty of ginger, seasoned with fish sauce (patis), with green papaya and green leaves. In the Philippines moringa or chilli leaves go in; spinach is a good substitute. The ginger must be fried at the start — that is when it releases most of its aroma into the oil.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Frying the aromatics 10 min
- Simmering the chicken 35 min
- Papaya 12 min
- Leaves 3 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneFry ginger, garlic and onion
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the ginger 2 minutes until fragrant, then add the chopped garlic and onion and fry another 3 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil · 40 g fresh ginger, in thin matchsticks · 4 cloves garlic · 1 pcs onion · 800 g bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks · 2 tbsp fish sauce
Ginger first — it gives its aroma to the oil.Sear the chicken with fish sauce
Add the chicken pieces and fry 4–5 minutes, turning, until the meat turns white on all sides. Pour in the fish sauce and stir for a minute — the patis reduces slightly and deepens the broth.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil · 40 g fresh ginger, in thin matchsticks · 4 cloves garlic · 1 pcs onion · 800 g bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks · 2 tbsp fish sauce
Until white — the patis adds depth.Add water and simmer
Cover with water, bring to the boil, skim the scum and simmer covered over low heat 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Prepare the papaya
Peel the green papaya, halve it, scrape out the white seeds and cut into 2 cm wedges. Green papaya is firm and neutral, like courgette or kohlrabi — do not replace it with ripe, sweet papaya.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Simmer with the papaya
Add the papaya to the soup and cook 10–12 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Check the chicken at the bone — the meat must not be pink.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Tender, but not overcooked.Season
Taste and season with pepper and, if needed, a little fish sauce or salt. Tinola should be gentle but distinctly gingery.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Add the spinach last
Add the spinach and cook a minute, until wilted. The leaves should stay bright green.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Serve with rice
Serve the hot tinola in deep bowls with a bowl of cooked rice. In the Philippines a dip of fish sauce with a squeeze of calamansi or lime is set out for the chicken.
Ingredients: 1200 ml water · 400 g green papaya or chayote · 100 g spinach (instead of moringa leaves) · ½ tsp black pepper · 1 pinch salt
Before you start
Replacing papaya
Chayote is the closest substitute. Kohlrabi (cooked like the papaya) or young courgette, added for the last 5 minutes, also work well.
Rice-washing water
Filipinos often cook tinola in the water from the second rinse of rice (hugas bigas). It gives the soup a touch of starch and a gentle, milky note.
Storage
Tinola keeps 3 days in the fridge. Add fresh spinach when reheating, as leaves kept in the soup darken.
