The Neophyte Cook # 2: "Tinolang Manok sa Pakwan"

The Neophyte Cook - this segment in my blog will feature my cooking apprenticeship without the formal culinary lessons, shy of cooking standards, and is done out-of-passion in cooking. Recipes will vary from various cuisine's dishes as long as I can modestly prepare and my guts tell me to do so.


For the record this is the second entry I have in my blog segment "The Neophyte Cook". I only cook if I have ample time and if ingredients are readily available in our refrigerator. LoLs.. I'm aiming to have more recipes to be cooked. (Crossing fingers with matching closed eyes..LoLs) 


Tinolang Manok sa Pakwan? Whooah! I never thought there is a certain recipe as this. Not until I found it out one day. And how did I find it out?


It’s funny how this idea (cooking it) came up. It was one late Tuesday morning of June 19 when I was tagged in a wall post by my good friend Ryan making me envious of his version of it. I really thought I’d be invited for a lunch that day (nag-expect lang si Spidey lols!). Normally, we usually take our lunch together with the rest of our group (Satt, Jimmy, &Remwell) almost everyday. It’s either we dine out or he’ll cook in his flat. But since these past few months I’ve been so occupied in the office I humbly begged-off from joining our lunch group until my bulk tasks in the office finishes. Seriously, I missed these guys. The normal cracking of funny jokes while having our lunch adds up to the "I miss them" part.

Now, back to what pushed me to cook my own version. I was just tagged for his purpose of maybe letting my envy runs in my blood and probably just to make me drool. And he was successful indeed because I almost got out of my office and rode a taxicab to head fast to his flat. But it was too late since when I read again his post it said they’re done with lunch already. I was frowning and a bit sad—hahaha!. I was hungry then and I thought it’d be perfect since I didn’t prepare my lunch that day. You’re such a poor guy spidey! LoLs! hahaha.

As a reply to his post, I did my own wall post tagging him by telling that I’ll be cooking my own version comes weekend too -my way of easing-out my slight irate that day.

And so here it is, my simple version of “Tinolang Manok sa Pakwan”. Initially, my wife and I planned to cook it for lunch but since when we checked out the nearby “Farm ” supermarket we didn’t find any sliced watermelon from the stands. Instead, we find one whole watermelon unsliced. The store attendant told us that the sliced one will be ready comes late afternoon. Having heard that we just decided to cook it for dinner.

I have the recipe saved in my Samsung Galaxy Note so we had to check it out and read the instructions. Honestly, I’ve read it twice already but my poor memory always makes me in trouble. I can’t memorize the way I used to before. So, we had to read again while preparing the ingredients.

To cut the story short, I successfully cooked my own version of “Tinolang Manok sa Pakwan”. I was laughing hard while we’re about to put some into a bowl since I told my wife that it should be presented well. So she got two tablecloth napkins and a clean white Corell bowl. To add to its aesthetic element we topped it with pechay leaves. And here’s what we’ve got.

Tinolang Manok sa Pakwan

Now, let’s have our verdict.

I was so excited to taste it since it’s my first time preparing this recipe. Anxious excited is the exact feeling to describe.  I tried a tablespoon full of its soup and I was impressed (bias lols!) No...I was really impressed...hahaha..maybe because we can't wait for the dinner to be served-hahaha! Honestly, it was good. There is this moderately sweet flavor due to the watermelon juices served as water and a biting taste as influenced by the fish sauce we had put in. The finish product is perfect for us as its blend is not too salty and sweet. Its color had added to its sumptuously indulging state.

Our Friday night had been so satisfying with this newfound recipe we had just prepared. If you want this recipe, just email me or leave your comments in the portion below and I will gladly address all your queries.

HAPPY EATING!

Until my next recipe. Watch out for it guys! LoLs!