Piaparan a Manok

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken, chopped into small bone-in pieces
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 200 ml thick coconut cream
• 4 tbsp palapa
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, plus 1/2 tsp for rubbing
• 40 g fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 siling labuyo, chopped
• 2 cups moringa (malunggay) leaves, stripped from their stems
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Before you cook

• Chop the chicken into small bone-in pieces, which is how it is served in Lanao.
• Rub the chicken all over with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
• Strip the moringa leaves from their woody stems.
• If you have no palapa, pound together 1 cup of sliced spring onion whites, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 4 chopped labuyo and 2 tablespoons of the grated coconut.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and onion and fry them for 4 minutes until soft and smelling sweet.
3. Stir in the palapa and the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and fry for 2 minutes until the oil turns yellow.
4. Add the turmeric-rubbed chicken pieces and turn them in the paste for 5 minutes until they are coated and lightly seared.
5. Pour in the 400 ml of coconut milk and bring it to a gentle simmer.
6. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through to the bone.
7. Scatter in the grated coconut and stir it through the sauce.
8. Cook for another 10 minutes so the coconut swells and thickens the sauce to a loose porridge.
9. Pour in the coconut cream and add the chopped chillies.
10. Season with the remaining salt and the cracked pepper.
11. Fold in the moringa leaves and cook for 3 minutes only, until they turn deep green and collapse.
12. Taste and add more palapa if you want the sharp allium heat pushed further forward.
13. Serve in bowls with plenty of rice to catch the sauce.