Filipino Adobo

The Unofficial Philippine National Dish

Let’s get one thing straight, There is no single authentic Philippine Adobo!

Trivia :

Cooking for one’s family is a privilege.

Growing up my mother taught us early how to cook like her mother taught her. She also said that we needed to know how to feed ourselves no matter where we end up living. Now I am not the greatest cook. I am slow in preparation, but I love to try new recipes. Each region, each province, even each family has it’s own way of cooking Adobo. But there are the basics. Chicken or pork, soy sauce or salt, vinegar, garlic, and water. The amount used of each ingredient depends on the desired taste of the one cooking it. Some place include coconut milk, honey, black pepper, potatoes, onion rings, whole tiny onions, or eggs. Actually nearly anything can be added. Some have the basic ingredients but shred the meat and fry it again till almost dry, thus the "Adobo Flakes". There are even those who mix chicken and pork, to make chicken-pork adobo. When frying the meat, fry the pork first till almost tender then add the chicken and fry for around 5 minutes more.

History :

When the Spanish came to the Philippines, they learned of this viand and called it adobo, the Spanish word for marinade.
See Wikipedia Adobo Philippines

Ingredients :

• 1 chicken / 1 kilo pork
• 1 head of garlic
• 4 tbsp soy sauce / salt ( to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ cup unseasoned vinegar / to taste
• 2 cups water / or enough to cover selected protein
• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup coconut milk

Cooking Instructions :

1. cut chicken into pieces / pork into 2 inch x 1 ½ inch pieces and place in saucepan
2. Add the next 5 ingredients and bay leaf if desired
3. Bring to a boil, uncovered.
4. Simmer, covered, until broth has evaporated and only at least ¼ cup is left
5. drain chicken/pork
6. set aside broth
7. remove all the garlic
8. fry chicken/pork in oil until brown
9. Add back the broth ( and optional coconut milk )
10. Simmer for 5 minutes
11. Serve hot or cold

Special Instructions :

1. Note the instructions to bring it to a boil, uncovered.
2. do not stir until the broth boils. Stirring before the broth boils will cause the adobo to taste “metallic”.
3. The taste of the adobo gets better if stored for a day or 2, which makes it a good viand to cook and eat over the week.

A meal best consists of a protein with vegetables. With adobo one can have guisadong mongo or guinisang pechay. Some like it with blanched Kamote leaves or any other cooked leafy greens.

This page was built by Vania T Diaz De Rivera
image from omnivore's cookbook