This dish is the most indigenous in the Philippines. It has evolved over the centuries as a way of preparing foods that won’t spoil easily in a tropical climate. The vinegar gives it the tangy taste and acts as the preservative. Each region has its own version, but the most commonly used is pork and/or chicken. The steps below is the traditional way of making adobo (Chiken adobo or Pork adobo).
Adobo Recipe
Ingredients
6-8 chicken pieces, preferably legs and wings
? cup (80 mL) vinegar made from coconut juice (as a variant, try balsamic vinegar)
¼ cup (60 mL) soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1-2 pieces bay leaf
½ tsp (2.5 mL) freshly cracked (not ground) black peppercorns
Preparation
- Put chicken, garlic, peppercorn, soy sauce and vinegar in a pan and bring to a boil
- When chicken is cooked, put chicken pieces in a colander and drain. Put aside the pot with soy sauce and vinegar.
- When chicken pieces are no longer draining, fry them in hot oil at medium heat (have a cover ready for splatters)
- Sear the chicken and brown them on all sides.
- Put chicken pieces back in the pot with soy sauce and vinegar and bring to simmer.Add 1-2 pieces of bay leaf.
- Cook until the sauce has largely evaporated; some take this to an extreme and cook until the sauce has thickened and adhered to the chicken, which begins to make a popping noise due to the high, direct heat.
Serve over hot steamed rice. May be eaten with tomato slices in fish sauce.
Source: en.wikibooks.org
