Tinutungang manok: Bicol’s hidden dish oozing with char, smoke, and creaminess

The smoked heritage of Bicol.

When someone mentions Bicolano cuisine, Bicol express often comes to mind. But there is much more to the cuisine, and one of them is tinutungang manok, a smoky version of the well-known ginataang manok.

Based on the word ‘tutong,’ which means burnt rice, tinutungang manok is one of Bicol’s creative and original dishes. Its key ingredients include native chicken, coconut, ginger, garlic, onion, lemongrass, sayote, and Bicol’s red-hot pride, siling labuyo.

The science of smoke

By toasting the coconut before extracting the milk, Bicolano cooks create a complex chemical profile that balances the high fat content of the gata with carbonized, earthy notes. This yields a greyish-brown color with an aroma of earthy woodsmoke and a lingering toasted bitterness that blends well with the stewed chicken and the siling labuyo’s signature spice, resulting in a dark, creamy flavor.

Considered by locals as a regional heritage dish, tinutungang manok, however, is not as common as the ubiquitous Bicol express. The 1st Colonial Grill in Albay remains the guardian of this recipe, often paired with their iconic sili ice cream for the ultimate Bicolano contrast.

In Manila, you can go to the 1st Colonial Grill branch in Quezon City. Another spot is the Top Meal Food Haus in Poblacion, Makati City, known for serving a variety of authentic Bicolano cuisine, including tinutungang manok.