RECIPE
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younger generations. This is a traditional
Adobong Baboy
(Pork Adobo)
Philippines
T
recipe for pork adobo.
INGREDIENTS:
Serves 4 to 6
1 kilo pork belly, cut into 2-inch thick pieces
6 tbsp soy sauce
6 tbsp white vinegar
1 head garlic, crushed
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 tbsp whole peppercorns
1-3 pieces dried bay leaves
1/2 tsp brown sugar (optional)
1 cup of water
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
PROCEDURE:
In a bowl combine the meat, garlic,
he adobo is an iconic dish of
by the Spanish, the adobo is truly a Filipino
peppercorns and soy sauce and leave the
the Philippines, whose roots can
original. Furthermore, although Filipinos
ingredients to marinade for at least 30
be traced back even before the
have grown accustomed to chicken and
minutes to an hour.
Spanish colonized the country. Although the
pork, or a combination of both as the recipe
In a sauce pan, sauté onion, then add the
term “adobo” is a Spanish term, Filipinos
for making adobo, there is no limit to what
bay leaves and marinated pork. Continue
have been cooking this type of dish way
you can use for the dish. You can use
sautéing the ingredients until whatever
before the country was discovered. Here
seafood such as pusit (squid) or galunggong
liquid is in the pan has evaporated and the
is how the story goes: When the Spanish
(round scad), kangkong (swamp cabbage),
pork starts to render fat. Pour the marinade
colonized the Philippines, they came across
sitaw (long beans) and other vegetables
and one cup of water into the pan and
this indigenous way of preparation in which
or even beef as your primary ingredient
allow to boil under medium heat until pork
meat was cooked in a combination of
for adobo. Others add quartered potatoes,
is tender, for about 40 minutes. Once the
vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns and garlic.
canned pineapples or hard-boiled eggs.
meat becomes tender, add the vinegar and
When the Spanish colonists observed
Some add pure coconut milk. There are as
let simmer for another 15 minutes, without
this method of cooking, they then referred to
many methods of cooking adobo as there
stirring. Let simmer until just a little oily
it as adobo, which translates to “marinade.”
are regions in the Philippines. Each family
sauce remains or until the sauce thickens.
So while the term may have been coined
has its own version that is handed down to
Season with salt if necessary. v
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