Tinola

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare everything first: peel and julienne the ginger, mince the garlic, slice the onion, peel and cut the green papaya, and strip the moringa leaves from the stems. Keeping the papaya pieces similar in size helps them cook evenly within the short cooking time.

   40 g fresh ginger, peeled and julienned4 cloves garlic, minced100 g onion, sliced250 g green papaya, peeled, deseeded, and cut into 2 cm wedges40 g moringa leaves, stems removed
2. 2

   Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the onion starts to soften; do not let the garlic brown, or the broth can taste bitter.

   15 ml avocado oil or coconut oil100 g onion, sliced4 cloves garlic, minced40 g fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
3. 3

   Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the surface loses its raw look. Pour in the fish sauce and cook for 30 seconds so it coats the chicken and seasons the base of the soup.

   500 g bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, cut into serving pieces30 ml fish sauce
4. 4

   Pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam for a clearer broth. Once boiling, lower to a steady simmer and cook for 12 minutes.

   1 litre water
5. 5

   Add the green papaya and black pepper. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the papaya is tender but still holds its shape and the chicken is fully cooked to the bone; the thickest part of the chicken should no longer be pink and the juices should run clear.

   250 g green papaya, peeled, deseeded, and cut into 2 cm wedges1 g ground black pepper
6. 6

   Add the moringa leaves and simmer for 1 minute just until wilted. Taste the broth and adjust with the extra fish sauce if needed. Serve hot with plenty of broth in each bowl.

   40 g moringa leaves, stems removed5 ml extra fish sauce, to taste

Origin & History

Tinola is a classic Filipino ginger-based chicken soup long associated with home cooking and comfort food. It appears in Philippine culinary history dating back to the Spanish colonial era and is famously mentioned in José Rizal's novel Noli Me Tángere. Traditionally, it is cooked with chicken, ginger, green papaya or chayote, and leafy greens such as malunggay.