Sinampalukang Manok
A comforting Filipino chicken soup with a tangy tamarind broth, perfect for gloomy days or when you're feeling under the weather.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 350kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, chopped into parts (or just legs/thighs if fussy eaters protest)
- 1 cup young tamarind leaves (or 1-2 packets of tamarind soup mix if you’re in a pinch)
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled and smashed
- 1 large onion, chopped up
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups water (give or take depending on your soupiness mood)
- 1-2 pieces long green chili peppers (siling pansigang), optional
- 1 bunch sitaw (long beans), cut into 2-inch pieces, or green beans
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced
Seasonings
- Fish sauce or salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Tomatoes, optional for extra tang
- Fingerling potatoes, radish, or any other vegetables about to go sad in your fridge, optional
Instructions
Preparing Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry to avoid excess moisture and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Sauté the chicken pieces in a bit of oil until golden brown.
Cooking Tamarind Broth
- In a pot, sauté smashed ginger, onion, and garlic until aromatic.
- Add the browned chicken pieces back into the pot.
- Pour in water and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add tamarind leaves or soup mix and a splash of fish sauce.
- Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the broth becomes tangy.
Adding Vegetables
- Add heartier vegetables like potatoes and sitaw first, followed by the eggplant towards the end.
- Adjust flavor with fish sauce or salt as needed.
Serving
- Serve the soup hot, ideally with white rice or garlic sinangag.
- Garnish with extra tamarind leaves and serve with a slice of calamansi or lime.
Notes
This soup is versatile; feel free to substitute vegetables based on what you have on hand. It's a healing dish rich in nutrients, perfect for cold weather.