Prepared Chicken Pesa (Pesang Manok) for the very first time - Video

Pesang Manok is a traditional Filipino clear, boiled chicken soup known for its light and mild, yet flavorful, ginger-infused broth. It is a comforting and nutritious dish, often prepared for lunch or dinner, and is particularly popular during cold or rainy weather.
Key Characteristics:
Flavor Profile: The dominant flavor comes from fresh ginger, which provides an aromatic, slightly spiced, and warming quality to the clear broth. It has a milder flavor compared to other Filipino chicken soups like Tinolang Manok.
Main Ingredients: The core ingredients are tender chicken pieces (often bone-in parts like legs or thighs), a clear broth, potatoes, and leafy green vegetables such as cabbage and/or bok choy. Some variations may also include saba bananas or green chili.
Texture: The chicken is simmered until tender, and the vegetables are cooked until just right, providing a hearty texture to the soup.
Serving Suggestion: It is typically served hot with steamed white rice on the side. Diners often season it to their preference with fish sauce (patis) and a squeeze of calamansi or chili.
Ease of Preparation: The dish is relatively simple to prepare, primarily involving boiling the chicken with the aromatics and then adding the vegetables towards the end of the cooking process.
The name "pesa" is believed to originate from the Hokkien word peh-sa, which refers to the technique of parboiling in water.