It was a rainy Sunday, the kind that calls for something warm and comforting. I had chicken on the counter and for a moment thought of cooking tinola, the usual choice for weather like this. But then I remembered another dish we make at home — inasimang manok, a cousin of sinigang, except it uses alugihib (also called libas or adwas in Marinduque) as the souring agent.
It’s unusual to cook chicken in sinigang. Most people expect pork or fish. But inasimang manok has its own quiet appeal. The broth comes out light and refreshing, the sourness gentler than sampaloc. The libas leaves add not only a tang but also a faint sweetness, almost fruity, with an herbal finish. Unlike tamarind or kamias, the sourness doesn’t dominate. It stays in balance with the chicken, and the leaves themselves become a delicious accompaniment — softened, slightly tangy, perfect to eat with rice.
This is rainy day food the way our island cooks it: straightforward, foraged, and deeply satisfying.
Inasimang Manok: Sinigang na Manok sa Libas (Alugihib / Adwas)
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken, cut into serving pieces
- 2–3 medium tomatoes, quartered
- 1–2 red onions, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2–3 long green chilies (siling haba)
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced (optional)
- 1–2 cups fresh libas (alugihib/adwas) leaves
- 6 cups water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis), plus more to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start the Broth Place chicken, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ginger in a pot. Add water and bring to a boil, skimming off scum as it rises.
- Simmer Lower heat and cook until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes.
- Season Add patis, salt, and pepper. Drop in siling haba for a mild kick.
- Add the Libas Stir in the libas leaves and let simmer for about 10 minutes, just enough for them to soften and release their distinct sour-sweet flavor.
- Serve Ladle into bowls and serve hot with rice. Eat the leaves with the chicken, that’s where much of the charm lies.
