Tinola
My Favorite.

• 1 whole young chicken, chopped
• 1 green papaya, peeled & sliced to large pieces (found in Asian/Oriental markets)
• 2 qts/8 cups chicken stock
• 1 onion, sliced
• pepper leaves (sold frozen in Asian/Oriental markets)
• crushed peppercorn
• 1/2 cup patis (fish sauce) and possibly more to taste
• at least 4 cloves crushed or sliced garlic
• ginger slice, crushed
• 2-4 tbsp olive or any oil of your preference

1. Heat oil in an 8-qt stockpot. Cook ginger until golden brown. Add in garlic and onions. Sweat out onions until translucent.

2. Add in legs and thighs with skin side facing down (and back if you have 'em). After 2-4 minutes, add in breast pieces, wings, crushed peppercorn, and patis. Stir and cover for 3-5 minutes.

3. Add papaya pieces and pepper leaves. Stir and cover for 5 more minutes.

4. Slowly pour stock. Cover and bring to boil. Bring heat to low and cook for at least 30 minutes or until chicken thighs are thoroughly cooked. Add more patis to taste if needed.

5. If papaya pieces are still tough after chicken thighs are done, cover, bring to quick boil, immediately turn off heat, and leave alone for 30 more minutes.

Pepper leaves and green papaya give that distinct tinola flavor that always brings me back home. Recipes vary with use of easier-to-find ingredients like spinach and chayote, but it just doesn't taste the same. If you fancy, boiled preserved duck egg (or century egg) goes well with tinola and steamed rice.