May Virtual Cook Along with Be Mighty

Children's Library Pick Up

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Be Mighty! Register for your FREE recipe kit and follow along from the comfort of your own kitchen. The virtual cook along will be livestreamed Thursday, May 21st at 6pm on Facebook & Instagram!

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Celebrate by making manok tinolang (chicken tinola), a light, healthy chicken and chayote soup. Join Be Mighty's own Jet Butler--and his mom, guest chef Rowena Garcia--as they prepare this simply delicious dish together. 

Limit 1 kit per household. 

Chicken Tinola (Manok Tinolang) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil 
• Large thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced into rounds 
• One onion, diced  
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced 
• About 2lbs chicken legs or thighs, bone-in, skin removed (about 5 pieces) 
• 1 tbsp of salt, added to chicken 
• Salt & pepper, to taste 
• 2 chayotes, peeled and cut into large chunks 
• 3 – 4 cups of fresh baby spinach 
• 6 cups water, for soup 
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, more to taste 
• 1 tsp chicken boullion 
• 2 cups of white, long-grain rice (jasmine is ideal)
• 2 ½ cups of water, for cooking the rice 

Directions: 

1. Put a large soup pot over medium low heat.  
2. Prepare your aromatics: peel the ginger and slice into rounds, dice one onion and mince three cloves of garlic. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. 
3. While the ginger, onion, and garlic are cooking, prepare your chicken. Slice or cut away the skin and desired fat. Slice small pieces of meat from the bone, leaving some meat on. Salt the de-skinned, sliced chicken. 
4. Add chicken to the pot and stir to combine with ginger, onion, and garlic. Then, add 1 tsp of chicken bouillon. Cover with 6 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil.  
5. Once boiling, lower heat to medium low. Simmer for 20 minutes, about how long it’ll take you to cook rice. 
6. Time to make rice!  
   1. Put the rice in a large bowl, cover with water, and gently swish it around with your hand. Watch the water get cloudy – then slowly pour into the sink. Repeat at least three times, until the water runs (mostly) clear. 
   2. Pour washed rice into a large saucepan. Use your hand to “level” the rice – an even, flat surface will ensure it cooks evenly. Add 2 ½ cups water to the pot and bring to a boil. 
   3. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid, then simmer on low for 15 minutes. Do not take off the lid! 
   4. After 15 minutes, take the rice off heat. Do not take off the lid yet! Let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. 
   5. You’ve been so patient! Lift the lid and fluff your rice with a fork. Make sure the grains are tender and the water is gone from the bottom of the pot. 
7. While the rice is steaming, peel the chayote and slice in half vertically. Use a spoon to scoop out the middle seeds. Then, slice into large chunks or slices. Add to soup when you take the rice off heat, and let it simmer for ten minutes. 
8. Add spinach just before serving. Stir the leaves into the soup and serve after they wilt slightly.