Tonight's Dinner: Pineapple Chicken

My mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, she's fond of eating pineapples... we call it in the Philippines as pinaglihihan. Pineapple is not one of my favorite fruits because I don't like my food sour. I won't eat it unless somebody tells me it is of the sweet kind.

So why did I cook a dish with pineapples?

I don't have much ingredients in my kitchen. The things that are available are chicken, evaporated milk, bell pepper and pineapple tidbits. I was thinking of cooking adobo but it was just last night that we had soy sauce based dish for dinner.

Well, it turned out delicious... my son could attest to that because he only eats chicken when it is barbecued, fried or if it is adobo.

If you like to try this dish, here is the recipe:

2 pouches of 115g pinapple tidbits (reserve the syrup)

2 tbsp ginger strips

6 cloves crushed garlic

1 large red diced onion

3/4 kg chicken (preferably thigh and leg part) cut into serving portions (10-12 pcs.)

1-2 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp pepper corn

1 pc medium red bell pepper cut into cubes

154 ml evaporated milk

Procedures:

1. Sautee the ginger, garlic and onion in 2 tbsp oil for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and fish sauce and sautee for at least 10 minutes or until the chicken is slightly brown.

2. Add pepper corn and pineapple syrup. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add the bell pepper, evaporated milk and pineapple tidbits. Simmer for 3-5 minutes without the cover while occasionally stirring.

Trivia:

Pineapple is a tropical plant with edible multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries that usually grows in tropical regions. Aside from being low in calorie, it is also a rich source of Vitamin C and Vitamin B complex like folate, thiamine and riboflavin. The Philippines produces at least 2,198 metric tons of pineapples, most of which comes from a plantation in Bukidnon. 

Photo from here.

Pineapples can be served raw, juiced and even mixed with dishes. Its leaves also has medicinal properties. It is one of the most popular fruits in the Philippines, in fact, there is even a pineapple festival in Daet, Camarines Sur. There is also a legend about the origin of the pineapple.

To read more fun facts about the pineapple, click here.