As one of the Philippines’ more popular and regularly served ulams, you’d think that tinolang manok, similar to sinigang and lumpiang shanghai, has cemented its place in the hearts of Filipinos, right? Turns out that for many, it has not. Last March 2021, a debate started on Twitter between tinola haters and lovers–and it continues to this day.
Celebrity chefs, Ninong Ry and Panlasang Pinoy’s Vanjo Merano have recently released separate videos showing viewers how to cook tinolang manok, all in the name of converting haters to lovers. And while Vanjo’s recipe definitely does the trick of making sure the classic dish gets a big serving of spice and flavor, Ninong Ry takes things further by offering audiences three different variations of the iconic dish: A leveled-up version of the classic recipe, Tinola Risotto, and Tinola Hainanese Rice, which, in essence, take traditional tinola flavors and combine it with signature techniques that make up the two world-renowned dishes.
Not one to hold back when it comes to food, Ninong Ry takes time to call his Kuya Vanjo to ask him for tips on cooking really tasty tinola. Summarizing their discussion, Ninong Ry later explained, “Masarap naman talaga ang tinola. Isa yan sa pinaka-basic na comfort food (na) pwede nating ma-consume kapag mejo malungkot tayo, kapag mejo di maganda ang pakiramdam natin. At tinuruan din tayo ni Kuya Vanjo. Igisa ang mga aromatics kasama ang manok, timplahan ng patis, at syempre, Knorr Chicken Cubes. Kahit hindi masyadong malasa ang manok mo, kahit hindi ka gagamit ng native chicken, magiging malasa pa rin yan sa tulong ng Knorr Chicken Cubes.”
In his classic tinola recipe, Ninong Ry seasons the chicken first with fish sauce then sears each piece of meat for added flavor and color. He uses chicken quarter leg, which according to him has more collagen content–resulting to a thicker soup. In terms of aromatics, aside from garlic, onion, and ginger, he also adds tanglad or lemon grass. Finally, he suggests that using white pepper is also a great way to give more depth to the dish without being overpowering.
Ninong Ry also mentions that in terms of vegetables, between papaya or sayote, he thinks that papaya adds a distinct yet subtle sweetness to the soup but also doesn’t see anything wrong with using the latter. Additionally, between dahon ng sili and malunggay, both Vanjo and Ninong Ry agree that chili leaves are more flavorful, but also believe that people should not discount malunggay’s nutritional value. So, for maximum effect, the two recommend using both.
In both Ninong Ry and Vanjo’s videos, the famous chefs emphasized the importance of using fresh, high-quality ingredients and Knorr Chicken Cubes to ensure a truly hearty and meaty tinola.
