Local Moco: Chicken Parilla (Chicken with Bitter Melon)

Parilla, or bitter melon, paired with chicken and lots of broth, makes for a cold-weather comfort dish perfect for aiding someone who’s feeling under the weather.

The dish is a favorite of chef Adam Tabura, and he shares it in “A Filipino Kitchen.”

CHICKEN PARILLA (CHICKEN WITH BITTER MELON)

From “A Filipino Kitchen” by Chef Adam Tabura

• 1 whole chicken (2 to 3 pounds), cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup julienned onion
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup peeled, crushed ginger
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup patis (fish sauce)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 to 10 whole baby bitter melons
• 3 to 4 handfuls parilla leaves and shoots, cleaned

In soup pot, combine chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, chicken broth, water, patis, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, to maintain the clearest broth possible. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and patis.

Add bitter melon and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.

Add parilla leaves and turn off heat. Avoid stirring to minimize bitterness. Serves 4 to 5.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Find “A Filipino Kitchen” at Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold; on amazon.com; and at Mutual Publishing, 1215 Center St., Suite 210. Call Mutual at 732-1709.