How to Make Binakol, A Healthy Filipino Chicken Coconut Soup
Coconuts have countless purposes in Filipino households. Add to the list this beloved chicken soup from Western Visayas: Binakol.
What is Binakol?
Binakol is similar to tinola, another popular Filipino chicken soup. Traditionally, this Ilonggo dish is cooked in bamboo tubes over an open flame. This gives it a deeper flavor because of the flavor imparted by the inner lining of the bamboo. Though this method is not practical in a household setting, it’s still possible to cook a delicious binakol at home.
It has a distinct sweetness that comes from the fresh coconut juice. Not only is it comforting on colder days, but it’s also incredibly healthy. All the rich flavors come from natural ingredients.
How to Make Binakol
Many home cooks might be intimidated to make binakol using fresh coconut because of how difficult it is to open. I’ll show you how to open a fresh coconut easily in the video below. It’s definitely worth it! Here’s how to make binakol from scratch.
Watch the video below to see how to make binakol. Scroll down for the complete recipe.
Recipe
- 600g chicken thighs
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 thumb sized ginger, sliced
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 2 green chilies
- 2 large young coconuts for meat and water
- additional 1L of coconut water
- fish sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
- handful of chilli leaves or spinach
Related Recipes
Sizzling Bulalo Recipe (Bulalo Steak with Gravy)