Before aluminum pans and even clay pots were invented, foods were in whatever was available. Large seashells, bamboo tubes, coconut shells and even leaves were used as containers. Chicken binakol in Batangas originally used the famous Batangas native chicken and was cooked in a bamboo tube to seal in the juices. In the Visayan binakol, on the other hand, the chicken was simmered with tanglad in the coconut shell itself. Estimated preparation and cooking time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 thumb-size ginger, sliced thinly
* 1 kilo chicken breast, cut into strips
* 5-6 cups water or chicken broth
* patis and pepper to taste
* buko water from 1 buko
* chopped buko meat
* spinach, malunggay or sili leaves
Cooking Instructions:
* In a saucepan, heat oil then sauté garlic, onions and ginger.
* Add chicken and stir-fry for a few minutes.
* Pour in water or chicken broth then season to taste.
* Simmer until chicken is tender.
* Add buko water and meat.
* Add the leafy vegetables just before serving.
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