Rainy day cure: Chicken Binakol

Metro Manila

Renzelle Ann Palma

Chicken Binakol is similar to the well loved Chicken Tinola. What makes this dish unique? Its use of coconut meat and coconut water. Intrigued? These additional ingredients add to the sweetness of the broth which creates for a unique but very delicious meal.

Did you know: The Original Chicken Binakol is cooked in bamboo. The bamboo seals in the flavor which makes the dish even more flavorful.

Check out the recipe below. Remember to serve this warm and to add that flair, serve it using the coconut shells as the Binakol’s bowl. Enjoy!

Recipe from: www.panlasangpinoy.com

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs), cut into serving pieces

3 cups young coconut water

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat

2 cups chicken broth

2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 small green papaya, wedged

1 cup hot pepper leaves

4 stalks lemon grass, cut in 1 inch length and pounded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 knob ginger(about 1 tablespoon), chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Heat a cooking pot and pour-in cooking oil.

Saute garlic when the oil is hot.

Put-in onions, ginger, and lemon grass, and then cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken. Stir and cook until the color turns light brown (about 3 to 5 minutes)

Add ground black pepper and fish sauce. Stir.

Put-in the young coconut meat, young coconut water, and chicken broth. Allow to boil, and then simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the green papaya. Cook for 5 minutes.

Put-in the hot pepper leaves and cook for a minute more.

Turn the heat off, and then transfer to a serving bowl.

This recipe is good for 4 to 6 persons.