If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know my little known marriage secret: learn to cook the comfort foods that your significant other grew up on and you’ll always be/have a Happy Wife, Happy Life.
Over the years, I made it a point to learn the recipes of my mother-in-law, not only because she’s #Filipinofoodcookinggoals, but also because my hubby associates good memories with her food. My hubby always knew his mom’s menu for Thanksgiving and Christmas and, like clockwork, she would make it. Food is always good when it’s made with love.
When my grandma passed away years ago, after the funeral, my uncle (the in-law) cooked grandma’s famous dinuguan (google it!). He made it just like how she used to make it. My aunties and uncles felt so connected to my grandma in that moment – it was so beautiful! From then on, I made it my life goal to learn how to cook the favorite foods of my loved ones. And then I watched Soul Food and that sealed the deal.
Food ties generations together. Being born here in the US and as a first-generation Filipino-American, sometimes I feel like I’m not American enough and also not Filipino enough. Cooking traditional Filipino cuisines introduces me to the culture I crave to know and I always enjoy learning about culture through food.
Do you have any family recipes that you know or must learn now from someone? Take a moment, learn it, and cherish them.
Instant Pot Chicken Tinola
Filipino food chicken tinola with chayote made in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 10-12 pieces chicken drumsticks or wings or both
- 1 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (Pufina patis) if no fish sauce, use 1-2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp chicken boullion or 1 chicken broth cubes
- 1-3 pieces bay leaves
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1-3 pieces ginger, peeled
- 1-2 chayote, cubed
Instructions
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Turn on Instant Pot to SAUTE. Brown onion, garlic, ginger. Brown chicken for a couple of minutes (don't fully cook it). Remove chicken to start deglazing process.
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Deglaze bottom of pot by adding just a little of the water or broth. Using a wooden spoon, stir bottom of pot to help the "good bits" life off the bottom.
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Add remaining water and broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, chicken boullion, and bay leaves. Return browned chicken to the pot.
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Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the knob on the lid to seal.
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Cook on POULTRY function, 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before turning knob to quick release (QR).
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Open the lid, add the chayote, and close the lid again. Don't forget to seal! Set to MANUAL function, 1 minute.
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Quick release (QR) knob to vent steam until pin drops.
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Season with more fish sauce or salt to your liking. Serve over fresh white rice.
Recipe Notes
- You can add green papaya in addition to the chayote too.
- You can also add spinach once you open the lid after the chayote is done cooking.
