Inubaran na Manok

Inubaran basically means the dish is cooked with ubad. No, it's not a typo error, it is really ubad not ubod - different from but practically the same - ubod is the pith or the center of a coconut tree while ubad is the pith of a banana tree.

To make this dish, one has to prepare an ubad for cooking - first thinly slice, around half a centimeter, the cleaned pith (must be very white and sized like a fluorescent lamp to be sure of the quality.) .


Then using a barbecue stick, remove web like fibers "interconnecting" these slices (these are actually hardened banana sap). When finished you can crush is into smaller pieces and add to your cooking.



Here's a recipe for Inubaran na Manok

Ingredients

• 1 whole (native) Chicken
• 3-4 cups chopped Ubad, prepared as described above
• 1 stalk Tanglad (Lemongrass)
• 1 thumb size Ginger, sliced 
• 5 clove Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste or chicken broth cubes
• 2pcs Batwan or Libas (a souring agent leaf)
• Water

Ubad sold in local markets. You will only use the white center/core portion.

How to make Inubaran na Manok

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
2. In a pan, saute the chicken in garlic, ginger and onion.
3. Add water enough to cover the chicken. Boil until chicken meat is tender.



4. After 20-25 minutes,add the ubad, tanglad and batwan (if you will this instead of libas). If you will be using libas, add it 5-10 minutes after this.
5. Once chicken is tender, sdd salt and pepper to taste. You can also add chicken broth cubes.

Other versions of Inubaran na Manok have monggo and malunggay, that's following the Guisadong Monggo recipe. And there's also another Ilonggo fave trio - Kadyos, Manok, Ubad.