This pinatisang manok has been on my to-make list for months but since fresh chili leaves are hard to come by, it was only yesterday when I made it happen. Although I could have easily subbed spinach, I wanted to be as true to the traditional dish as possible. You can just imagine my excitement when I found these coveted leaves on my recent trip to Seafood City. So I’ve learned, the supermarket sells on Fridays indigenous produce they don’t normally have on other days. Their large bins overflowing with ampalaya tendrils, saluyot, kalabasa flowers and chili leaves were, indeed, a sight to behold. I was like a little kid let loose in a candy store!
As you can see from the list of ingredients and the steps involved, pinatisang manok is not too far off from the ubiquitous tinola. Two things, however, that set it apart is that I used a bit more fish sauce than I would in making tinola (its pinatisan, afterall) and mashed egg yolk is added to the stew just before the chili leaves are thrown into the pot. Yes, egg yolks! Trust me, my peeps. You NEED this in your life! The addition of egg yolk is a stroke of genius! It gives the broth a certain richness and depth of flavor that’s beyond delicious. Give this truly Pinoy stew for dinner tonight and let me know what you think. As always, I love hearing from you.
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 thumb-size ginger, peeled and julienned
- 1 whole (3 to 4 pounds) chicken, cut into serving parts
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 egg yolk, hardboiled
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh chili leaves
- In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and ginger, and cook until limp and aromatic.
- Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until color changes and juices run clear. Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced.
- In a bowl, mash egg yolk with about ¼ cup of the broth from pot. Add to pot and stir to disperse. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add chili leaves. Cover and allow residual heat to continue cooking the vegetable until just wilted. Serve hot.
Use chicken stock if ur using chicken breast meat
Thanks for the tip, Mica 🙂
It’s like tinola but there’s no green papaya. The mashed egg yolk is interesting though. Perhaps I could try adding mashed egg yolk to my tinola next time I cook tinola. Thanks.