Tinolang Tahong with Ginger and Malunggay

Tinolang tahong is a light ginger broth that lets fresh mussels provide much of the flavor. Add malunggay near the end so the leaves stay bright. This version serves four with rice and takes about 25 minutes once the mussels are cleaned.

Ingredients

• 1 kg live mussels (tahong) from a reliable seller
• 1 small onion, sliced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil and about 4 cups water
• 1 cup malunggay leaves, washed; 1 long green chili, optional
• Fish sauce or salt and ground pepper, to taste

How to make tinolang tahong

1. Keep the mussels cold until cooking. Scrub the shells under running water, remove visible beards, and discard cracked mussels. If an open live mussel does not close when tapped, discard it.
2. Heat the oil in a pot. Soften the onion, then cook the garlic and ginger for about a minute until fragrant without browning them heavily.
3. Add the water and optional chili. Bring to a lively simmer, then add the mussels. Cover and cook, checking after several minutes. Stir once so the shells cook evenly.
4. When the mussels have opened during cooking, add the malunggay. Simmer briefly until the leaves wilt. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Taste the broth before adding fish sauce or salt because the shellfish is naturally savory.
5. Serve hot with rice. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow container.

Useful adjustments

For a clearer broth, skim any foam after the mussels open. For a fuller soup, add sliced green papaya before the mussels and simmer it until nearly tender; then add the shellfish so it is not overcooked. Do not add a large amount of water at the start—the mussels release liquid.

Buy shellfish from a source that follows local safety advisories. FoodSafety.gov advises cooking mussels until their shells open and discarding those that stay closed; read its shellfish handling guide. If you enjoy ginger-rich soups, try another recipe from our seafood collection.