Sinampalukang Manok Recipe

Sinampalukang Manok is a Filipino Chicken dish cooked like sinigang also known as sour soup. Usually, tamarind leaves along with the tamarind pulp is used in this recipe to sour the soup but the tamarind leaves was not available the last time I was in the market plus I was not sure if my kids would like those hundreds of tiny tamarind leaves floating in their soup so I decided to use frozen tamarind fruits instead.

You can find the tamarind leaves and the tamarind fruits in your local Asian store by the frozen isle. Remember, using fresh ingredients always taste better but if not, you can always add tamarind soup mix if you want your soup more sour like my kids.

Ingredients

2 lbs. chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 thumb size ginger, sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 cups frozen tamarind fruits or 1 cup tamarind leaves
2 pieces green chilies (siling pangsigang)
1-2 tbs. tamarind soup mix
2 tbs. fish sauce
1 tbs. cooking oil
6 cups water (more or less if needed)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Using a big and deep pot, heat and add cooking oil. Add ginger, garlic, onion and saute for few minutes or until fragrant. Add chicken, stir and cook until chicken turns light brown.
Add tomatoes, fish sauce and tamarind fruits. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Now add water and cook in medium low heat. Simmer until chicken is fully cooked.
Add tamarind soup mix and green chilies. Stir and cook for few minutes. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy.