*mince garlic, slice ginger and onion thinly
*peel and cut chayote or papaya into small wedges
*clean and prep the mussels
*add oil to the pan, sauté ginger, onion and garlic
*add chayote or papaya and water
*simmer until tender
*add patis or salt according to your taste & a pinch of fresh ground black pepper
*add mussels, simmer for few minutes, don’t overcook or else veggies will get soft and soggy
Note: if using chicken for the meat, sauté it after the ginger, onion and garlic then add water to simmer until it’s tender before adding the veggies as chicken meat (bone in) takes longer to cook
This food reminds me of home, that warmth and the feelings it brings while eating it with the family. Indeed a very simple dish but it makes me reminisce of the old times when I was a kid, using the shell as a spoon to scoop the soup and later on when the meal’s over having to clean the shells so we can use it for some artwork. It may be the flavor or maybe it’s the fun we had everytime this dish was served. Not to forget that my dad loves seafood so much, yes that must be another reason why this dish is very memorable to me.
Tinola is generally a ginger broth base soup cooked with chicken and green papaya. Using semi ripe papaya is best because it gives a certain touch of sweetness to the soup. The perfect umami is achieved with the savory salty taste from patis, natural chicken broth, a hint of spice from ginger and black pepper and slight sweetness from the papaya. Adding more greens would be ideal having a handful of malunggay or moringa leaves, spinach is another good alternative. It’s a shame that I could never achieve the exact same taste how my grandma cooks it, the ingredients here are not that easily available. It was a big frustration for me at first but through the years I learned to let go and make do with what I can make out of the available ingredients within reach.
Measuring up my ingredients is not my thing as well, I just get what I need and throw it all in the pot. So funny that my husband gave up asking me to do a proper cookbook, instead he referred to it as conceptual recipe. Since our family has adapted to low sodium and no sugar diet, what’s good enough for us may not be tasty and can be bland for others. Tinola is a perfect dish for when one is sick, the ginger gives a very soothing touch to the throat and chest. I hope you can enjoy this dish as much as we do.
By Munting Kusinera