Hello there!
If you're an island girl this kind of food really comforting to your heart, that even if it cost a lot in this side of the world, then you have to give in to your cravings to just feel the warmth of home.
This is Tinolang Tahong, baby!
According to Uncle Wike, Tinola in Tagalog or Visayan, or la uya in Ilocano is a soup-based dish served as an appetizer or main entrée in the Philippines. Traditionally, this dish is cooked with chicken, wedges of green papaya, and leaves of the siling labuyo chili pepper in broth flavored with ginger, onions and fish sauce.
So basically, in the Philippines we can tinola almost everything from seafoods to meat seasoned with fresh vegetables and spices. The aroma of the broth gives you a divine kick and comfort in your stomach. I miss home obviously. At this weather in Poland - cold and grey who would not miss the tropics much more its fresh seafoods. While at the grocers store last weekend, I came by this fresh mussels vacuum packed in a kilo. Not minding of the price, grabbed one and excitedly went home to prepare the dish for lunch.
To make this dish, you need:
a kilo of mussels
a tbsp of oil - canola
ginger - thumb size - minced
M size yellow onion
lemon grass ( in this meal - i run out of lemon grass - optional, but best if using)
6 cups of water
1 bokchoy (chopped into half) or spinach
salt and ground pepper
To cook:
Heat oil, saute onion, add in water, pour in lemon grass, a kilo of mussels. Cover pot. Simmer for 1 mins until mussel shells opened. Add bokchoy or spinach. Dash salt and pepper to taste. Simmer a bit for 2 mins. Serve warm and enjoy!
Basically, the recipe is so simple. Boil and add in all ingredients. Voila! I wanted to make one like Italian style simmered with white wine, but i needed warmer broth to fill in my hungry soul with a taste like home.
Oh well, true to its taste. I ate mine with gusto and even looking forward to buy and cook such seafoods from now one. Maybe, Seafood Paella next? hmmm....yum! Now, I'm hungry.
Enjoy and 'till next time.
Smacznego!
xo,
Ai
