Lemongrass Rice-Water Tinola with Garlic Chips

Method

1. Rinse rice once and discard the water, then rub it in fresh water and keep this cloudy second rinse. Peel and core the chayote and cut it into wedges. Slice the ginger 0.5 cm thick and bruise it with the flat of a knife; bruise the lemongrass and tie it in a knot. Slice the shallots and cut the garlic as thinly as you can.

2. Put the oil and garlic into a cold 20 cm pot, set it over medium-low heat and stir for 3 min as the garlic gently fries. Lift it out onto kitchen paper as soon as it turns pale gold; it keeps darkening after it leaves the oil. Leave the garlic oil in the pot.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 3 tbspGarlic cloves (for thin slicing) 6

   medium-low heat

3. Pat the chicken dry and lay it skin side down in the garlic oil. Sear over medium-high heat for 5 min (in ×1 batches), until the skin is deep golden, then turn for 1 minute and lift onto a plate. A crowded pot steams instead of browning.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken legs (skin on, cut into pieces) 600 g

   medium-high heat

4. Add the shallots, ginger and lemongrass to the pot and stir over medium heat for 2 min until fragrant. Add half the fish sauce and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.

   Add in this stepShallots 3Fresh ginger 35 gLemongrass stalks 1Fish sauce (patis) ¾ tbsp

   medium heat

5. Return the chicken and pour in the rice water. Bring to the boil over high heat, skim, then turn down to low heat, set the lid ajar and simmer for 25 min. The rice water gives the broth a soft, slightly milky body.

   Add in this stepRice water (from the second rinse) 900 ml

   high heat→low heat

6. Add the chayote and simmer for 8 min more, until a fork slides in easily. The chicken must show no pink near the bone; with a thermometer, check it reads at least 75 °C.

   Add in this stepChayote or green papaya 300 g

7. Fish out the lemongrass and season with the remaining fish sauce and pepper. Add the leaves, cook for just 1 min and turn off the heat.

   Add in this stepFish sauce (patis) ¾ tbspBlack pepper to tasteChili leaves or moringa (or spinach) 40 g

8. Serve in bowls topped with plenty of garlic chips, with halved calamansi on the side to squeeze in just before eating; added too early, the brightness fades.

   Add in this stepCalamansi or lime 1