New York, revisited

The first time I ever tried pinatisang manok was in December 1988 during my first trip to New York City.  My husband and I took a side trip to the Big Apple while visiting friends in Rhode Island for the holidays.  While in the city, we stayed with a college friend, Relinie, who was working as a nurse at NYU Medical Center at the time.  She served as our guide and brought us to some famous landmarks like the Rockefeller Center, World Trade Center, Statue of Liberty, and Macy's!  On our first day in the city, she served us this dish for lunch.   I have never forgotten how tasty it was.  Since then I have tried a couple of times to cook it but could never get just the right flavor because I never had chili pepper leaves.  Over the weekend, I finally found all the pepper leaves I could get my hands on and more.  One of our friends had several bushes and we took a few cuttings for planting and a few more for cooking.  Tonight, I may have just done Linie's pinatisang manok justice 23 years hence. 

Disclaimer:  Make sure to close all doors to the bedrooms, keep the exhaust fan at full blast, and light all the scented candles you can find.  Thankfully my husband was out when I cooked it and sprayed the house with perfume to mask the scent of the patis (fish sauce) before he arrived. 

Pinatisang Manok

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken wings
• 1 c chili pepper leaves
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 3 tbsp patis 
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
• 1 cup water

In a medium sauce pan, saute garlic until brown - add onion and cook until translucent - add ginger for another couple of minutes - add the chicken wings and cook each side until brown (5 min on each side) - add pepper leaves - add water - bring to a boil - lower temperature to medium and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the sauced has reduced in half.  Serve hot over white steamed rice.