Best served with white rice. Serves 6 persons.

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole free range chicken (native chicken is best) cut into parts
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 1 cup onion – cut into cubes
  • 1 whole tomato – cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 cup tamarind juice from green tamarind – boil handful of green tamarind in 1 ½ cups water till tamarind is tender, mash with fork and strain juice or ½ cup tamarind paste (if using tamarind paste, add ¼ cup lemon juice)
  • 6 cups rice water – when you wash the rice you will be using, don’t throw the water, use this
  • 1 piece long green chili
  • 1 bunch baby bok choy or 1 bunch kangkong– wash and cut into 3 or 4 parts
  • 5 strands pole beans – cut into 3-inch lengths
  • salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

  1. In a medium sized casserole, over medium-low fire, place oil in pan and sauté garlic and onions till onions become translucent.
  2. Pour in fish sauce and sauté for 30 seconds.
  3. Place chicken in pot and slightly brown.
  4. Add in the tomatoes and stir for 30 seconds.
  5. Add tamarind juice, chili and rice water.
  6. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.
  7. Cover till chicken is tender.
  8. Check for taste; adjust by adding – salt or fish sauce and pepper.
  9. Place the pole beans in soup and simmer for 2 minutes.
  10. Add the baby bok choy or kangkong and simmer for another minute.
  11. Serve hot with steamed white rice.