I Added Saging Na Saba to My Tinolang Manok! 🤯🍌🍗 Pinoy Food Twist

For today's recipe, we are making a classic Filipino comfort food: Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Soup). But there is a huge twist! I completely ran out of traditional chili leaves or malunggay leaves, so I decided to use Saging na Saba (Plantain bananas) instead! 🤫 The natural sweetness of the plantains cuts beautifully through the sharp ginger, aromatic garlic, and savory fish sauce (patis), creating a uniquely rich broth that will absolutely blow your mind. We load it up with Sayote (Chayote Squash), a vegetable broth cube for extra depth, and a kick from green spicy chillies. Pro-tip: This steaming hot ginger soup is the ultimate comfort meal when poured over hot white rice, especially when you pair it with a little side dish of vinegar (suka) and fish sauce (patis) for dipping! 🍚🤤🌶️ If you love everyday Filipino home cooking, unique recipe twists, and warm comfort food soups, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to support my cooking journey! Let me know in the comments: would you try saging na saba in your tinola? 👇 🛒 INGREDIENTS The Chicken & Aromatics Base: • 500g Chicken thighs (washed properly and cut into smaller pieces) • 3 inches Fresh ginger (thinly sliced) • 1/2 Whole head of garlic (cut into small, neat cubes) • 1 Small brown onion (finely diced into cubes) • 3 tbsp Vegetable oil (for sautéing) The Unique Fillings & Greens: • 2 pieces Sayote / Chayote Squash (peeled and cut into cubes) • 2 pieces Saging na Saba / Plantains (sliced into half-inch round pieces) • 2 pieces Green spicy chillies (siling haba) The Savory Broth Builders: • 2 Large glasses of Water • 1 Vegetable bouillon cube (the secret flavor builder!) • 2 tbsp Patis / Fish sauce • A pinch of Namnam All-in-One seasoning • Salt and ground black pepper (to taste) For Serving: • Steamed white rice • Vinegar (suka) and fish sauce (patis) on the side for dipping! 🍳 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics & Sear the Chicken 1. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep cooking pot over medium-high heat. 2. Toss in the thinly sliced ginger first and mix until fragrant. Add the cubed garlic, followed by the diced brown onions, sautéing until soft and aromatic. 3. Drop in your washed, smaller chicken thigh pieces. Mix continuously and cook until the chicken completely changes color and develops a nice light sear. Step 2: Build and Simmer the Ginger Broth 1. Pour in 2 large glasses of water directly over the chicken. Close the lid and bring it to a rolling boil. 2. Once boiling, drop in 1 vegetable bouillon cube to give the soup an extra rich, savory base. Close the lid and wait for it to come back to a boil. 3. Open the lid and pour in 2 tablespoons of patis (fish sauce) along with a pinch of Namnam all-in-one seasoning. Mix well. Step 3: Layer the Vegetables and Plantains 1. Drop the cubed sayote (chayote squash) into the pot, stir gently, and close the lid to let it soften. 2. When the soup boils again, lift the lid and drop in the 2 whole green spicy chillies along with your half-inch sliced pieces of saging na saba. 3. Close the lid one last time, let it come to a boil, then adjust the final flavor by adding salt and black pepper to your preferred taste. Step 4: The Low-and-Slow Finish 1. Give everything a final gentle stir, turn the heat down to low, and let the soup simmer undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the plantains to release their subtle sweetness into the savory ginger broth. 2. Once the chicken is incredibly tender and the sayote is soft, turn off the heat and ladle the piping hot soup into a deep serving bowl. 3. Serve immediately alongside a mountain of hot steamed white rice, and mix a small side dipping saucer of suka and patis. Enjoy! #TinolangManok #SagingNaSaba #PinoyUlam #FilipinoComfortFood #ChickenGingerSoup #ChayoteSquash #UniqueRecipes #HomeCook #EasyRecipes #PinoyFoodie