Tinolang Manok with Ampalaya

Time was, Filipinos are addicted to a chicken dish called TINOLANG MANOK. The rainy season nor December cold winds isn’t here, but we all-year round continue to cook this simple comfort food at home: a cut-up chicken, stewed with vegetables, served with steaming hot rice. Tinolang Manok is usually added up with sliced green Papaya or chayote, but my new househelp introduced me to an Ilocano way of cooking the Tinolang Manok with Ampalaya (Chicken Tinola with Bitter Gourd).

TINOLANG MANOK WITH AMPALAYA

1/4 cup cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 heads onion, peeled and quartered
1 large fresh garlic, peeled and minced
1 kilo chicken, cut into slices
3 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
3-4 cups water
2 medium ampalaya, seeded and thinly sliced

Heat a large work or pot over medium heat.

Swirl in oil. Saute garlic, onion and garlic for about 2 minutes.

Add in chicken. Cook and stirring constantly until chicken flesh turn white.

Pour in water, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked and tender.

Add sliced ampalaya and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Season with fish sauce. Serve with steaming white rice.