Craving for Adobo: The Iconic Filipino Dish

A trip to the Philippines is never complete without tasting the traditional adobo or any of its variations in a Filipino home, restaurant, or on a culinary visit. This traditional Filipino dish is served and enjoyed in every region of the country and in every city.

Adobo is a classic dish every Filipino craves for whether it’s pork or chicken. As some food historians reiterate, the word “adobo” originates from the Spanish word “adobar,” which means “marinade,” “sauce,” or “seasoning.” Adobo essentially is a meat stew marinated in soy sauce (toyo), vinegar (suka), garlic and peppercorns.

There are as many variations of adobo as there are islands in the Philippines, since there may be more variations to what we commonly know. Practically every Filipino household in the world has its own relatively distinct variation of adobo. Expect to find a fresh variation of adobo on every Filipino family you visit.

Though the adobo marinade varies from one region to another, from one cook to another, whether it’s chicken, pork or beef it will always have its common taste and feature. Let us have a better look and understanding of our tasty adobo.

The Basics of Adobo

1. The Choice of Protein

When it comes to adobo, there are no limits. The most popular types of protein are pork and chicken, but squid, beef, quail, duck, pork or chicken livers, and even chicken feet are also commonly used. Protein isn’t even necessary because bamboo shoots, tofu, and even swamp cabbage or river spinach (kangkong) can all be used for your delicious adobo!

2. The Essential Ingredients

The heart of adobo is vinegar and soy sauce, although, over the years, other liquids have frequently been added to the brine. Some variants have coconut milk, which softens the vinegar and soy sauce’s powerful flavors. Others add sugar, pineapple or even honey to offer a hint of sweetness and a flavor that is almost teriyaki-like.

Using a different variety of vinegar can also alter and enhance the flavor of your favorite adobo. The type of vinegar used is determined not only by the maker’s taste but also by the region in which they come from. The most popular vinegar in the Philippines are cane, rice, and coconut vinegar.

Meanwhile, the most basic adobo recipes just call for the ingredients of garlic, bay leaf (dahon ng laurel), and black pepper (paminta). For extenders, additional ingredients may be included, such as ginger, onions, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, and other vegetables.

3. The Seasoning

Cooking adobo is a challenging task as you choose what seasoning to use and how much to put in the adobo. If you use too much vinegar, the adobo will taste like sour stew (paksiw); using less vinegar will make your adobo taste like boiled meat (nilaga). It is also important to know when to cover the pot as your adobo simmers. Remember to remove the lid for the first 10 minutes, then cover it again until the dish is ready.

The proper balance of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices makes the perfect adobo. Some prefer to enhance its flavor with salt or fish sauce (patis) as this recipe varies according to your region’s cooking practices.

4. The Marinade

To make your adobo more flavorful you need to marinate all of the ingredients for at least an hour or longer. This is the ideal way to go if you want to enjoy authentic Filipino adobo. Nevertheless, some people skip this step and proceed directly to the braising procedure.

This marinade will provide a hearty taste of the saltiness from the soy sauce, the acidity from the vinegar, the spicy taste from your garlic and pepper. Your bay leaf ingredient will definitely add more flavor as you combine all of these essentials in your marinade.

5. The Moisture

The amount of moisture left in the dish after cooking adobo is a choice to be made for your special adobo. Some areas, especially the Visayas, prefer to boil the adobo until the braising liquid has fully evaporated, leaving the protein to fry in the residual oil and crisp it up. For some regions, Filipinos prefer the most typical preparation that retains some of the braising liquid. This can be used to flavor the steamed rice that is served alongside the adobo which we can call as ‘adobo rice’.

Let’s Wrap Up Our Adobo!

There are countless variations in cooking and serving adobo. Every cook, whether expert or not, undoubtedly has their own unique strategy in cooking our well-loved Adobo.

Additionally, as every cook wants to showcase their own adobo version, it becomes the preferred dish which every Filipino family can serve to guests who have never tasted this tasty cuisine yet!

No matter how every Filipino adobo is prepared, this favorite dish will always have that distinct flavor that distinguishes it as a true Filipino classic.

For every Filipino, an authentic adobo with steaming hot rice is a taste of home. Let Manila Food Mart’s delicious serving of authentic adobo bring back memories shared with your family. Visit us now and let us delight your taste buds with our fresh and hot home cooked meals!