The base of tinola is a broth made by cooking fish with ginger, garlic, and onion in water. Ginger gives the soup a gentle warming spice that is not too hot for children — it tastes a little like a cross between pepper and lemon. The broth is clear and golden, quite different from thick creamy soups.
Green papaya is added to the pot and softens as it cooks, becoming tender and mild. Papaya is a tropical fruit that, when unripe and green, is used as a vegetable in many Pacific and Asian cuisines — it soaks up the flavour of the broth beautifully. Leafy greens are sometimes added right at the end so they stay bright and fresh.
In Palau, a family might have tinola using whatever fresh fish came home from the ocean that day — perhaps snapper, grouper, or tuna. It is the kind of dish that connects people to the sea and to each other. Sharing a warm bowl of tinola is a simple, everyday act that has been part of Palauan life for generations.