Filipino Recipes: Popular Dishes from the Philippines

Tinolang Manok

Tinolang manok is considered one of the most-loved Filipino comfort food eaten almost anywhere in the Philippines. There are different versions of the dish usually originating from various parts of the country. Tinola is best eaten during cold weather and a lot of people believe that it is beneficial for someone who is ill, much like the western chicken soup. Here’s a simple and easy to follow recipe for preparing this soup dish.
Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
• ¼ kilo chicken liver
• 1 small green papaya, sliced into wedges
• 1 small ginger, sliced
• 1 medium sized onion, sliced
• 1 cup malunggay (moringa) leaves
• Salt
• 1 liter water
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Optional: 1 Chicken broth cube

Procedure:

1. Over medium fire, heat oil in a deep pan. Sautee ginger and onion.
2. Add the chicken, let simmer until meat turns white. Add water and cover.
3. Cook the chicken over medium fire for 20 minutes.
4. Add the green papayas, chicken liver and a pinch of salt. You may also add the chicken broth cube if preferred. Set the fire to low and cover.
5. Once the papaya is tender, add the malunggay leaves. Add more salt according to preference.
6. Turn the stove off and allow the remaining heat in the pan cook the malunggay leaves.
7. Serve with a steaming bowl of rice and some patis (fish sauce).

Tapsilog

• ¼ kl lean beef, cut into thin strips
• 2 pcs. Calamansi, squeezed
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Procedure for Tapas

1. Marinate the beef in calamansi extract, soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper for at least an hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan.
3. Squeeze out excess liquids from meat strips then fry until edges turn dark.
4. Do not crowd the frying pan.
5. Drain oil and set aside.

Ingredients for Fried Rice:

• 2-3 cups cooked rice
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. cooking oil
• Salt
• 1 pack seasoning granules

Procedure for Fried Rice

1. Heat oil with medium fire.
2. Fry the garlic until light brown. Make sure to take it out of the oil before it turns golden; garlic becomes bitter if overcooked. The remaining heat will turn it golden brown while set aside.
3. Add the chopped onions and the rice.
4. Add the seasoning granules. Add salt as needed.
5. Sprinkle the spring onions to add zest and color.

On a clean plate, add one cup of fried rice and top it with the fried garlic. Add half of the fried tapas and one egg. This recipe makes a hearty breakfast for two.

Adobo Steak

• 1 kilo pork belly
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup vinegar
• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• ½ cup water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• 1-2 liters water for boiling
• 3-4 cups cooking oil for frying

Procedure

1. Wash the pork thoroughly and boil in water until very tender.
2. Remove the tenderized pork from the water and place it on paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3. In a deep bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, water, and pepper. Marinate the pork in the solution for at least an hour. For best results, marinate overnight.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan. Make sure it is very hot before deep frying the marinated pork.
5. OPTIONAL: In a separate pan, sauté garlic and onions and add a cup of the marinade. Add some slurry (cornstarch dissolved in water) to thicken the mixture.
6. Serve the pork with the sauce.