Chicken Tinola

Description:
A great chicken soup

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken - cut into serving pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp garlic - minced
1 medium onion - sliced
1 square inch ginger - julienned
2 Tbsp patis (fish sauce)
5 cups rice water* or plain water
1 chayote (sayote)
a bunch of chilli tops (talbos ng sili)

Directions:
1. Peel chayote with a potato peeler and cut in half along the groove in the middle. Take out the white pith and seed in the middle using a spoon. Cut each half lengthwise and cut again crosswise (or diagonally) in about 3/4 inch intervals. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pot. Saute garlic and onion until onion is translucent.
3. Add in ginger and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the patis and chicken. Mix well. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes letting the chicken abosorb the patis. Stir occassionally.
5. Pour in rice water and bring to boil. Bring down heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
6. [optional] Skim off excess oil floating on top.
7. Add chayote, bring up to boil again and cook for 5 minutes or until chayote is done.
8. Put in chilli tops and cook for about 2 minutes. Serve while hot.

Note: *Rice water is the water used for washing rice before cooking it. So you should really cook rice before cooking this dish.