Sinigang na Manok (Stewing Chicken in Tamarind Broth)

The little chicken that could…drive me to bankruptcy.

I am a sucker for good deals. Most often than not, though, I get suckered in by better suckers.

When I did my grocery shopping last Saturday, I found this stewing chicken on sale for $1.00. Can you imagine me, feeling every bit the champion bargain shopper as I pushed my shopping cart to the cashier containing FIVE of these chickens? Since I am one of those who unwittingly buy full price the shoes that go on sale for half-price the day after, I question why I still bother. Naturally, like the story of the rest of my finances, my one-dollar chicken took three hours to tenderize in the pot and probably cost me extra $10 in gas. How can such a scrawny little thing take that long to cook? I bet this pecker spent 24/7 of its life prancing around the yard and chasing worms as it sure had some mighty strong leg muscles! I was almost driven to madness by the many times my family, with forks in their hands, asked, “Are we eating yet?”. Ten in the evening and we were still staring at the chicken stewing in the pot. Good Lord! Why me? I bought FIVE!

Ok, let’s be fair. If we ignored the fact that it took forever to cook, my one-dollar chicken was a good buy for this sinigang na manok dish. The resulting broth was rich and bold with flavor, and with a touch of sourness from fresh tamarind, the little chicken that could…was worth the wait.

Makes 4 Servings

1 stewing chicken, cut into parts
1 chayote, peeled and cut into cubes
1 bunch pechay, ends trimmed and leaves seperated
4 to 5 pcs bagiuo beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups fresh tamarind
vegetable oil.
water (LOTS!!)

In a pot, heat vegetable oil. Saute onions, garlic and ginger until aromatic.

Saute in chicken until lightly browned and natural juices seep from chicken, around 8 to 10 minutes.

Pour 5 to 6 cups of water. Simmer chicken, regularly removing scum that accumulates on the top. Cover pot and continue to simmer until tender, around 2 to 3 hours. Add more water as needed, around 1 to 2 cups at a time. Maintain 5 to 6 cups of broth.

Place tamarind in a wire mesh and submerge into broth. Cook until softened. Mash within mesh until seeds separate from outer skin and pulp is removed. Discard seeds and skin. Alternatively, wrap tamarind with cheesecloth and drop into broth. Cook until softened and remove cheesecloth packet from broth. Place softened tamarind in a bowl and add around 1/2 cup of broth. Mash with back of spoon until pulp is separated from seeds and skin. Return pulp and broth to pot, discarding skin and seeds.

Add in chayote cubes. Cook until tender, around 4 to 5 minutes. Add in bagiuo beans. After 2 to 3 minutes, add pechay and allow to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

 

Soup and Salad Recipes in The CookMobile Archive:

Sinigang na Baka (Beef Ribs in Tamarind Broth)

 

 

 

Nilagang Baka (Beef Shank Soup)