Philippine Adobo: Recipe for the Philippines' Greatest Dish

Philippine Adobo: Recipe for the Philippines' Greatest Dish

Philippine adobo is chicken or pork braised in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaves. This national dish contains a natural preservative: vinegar allowed the meat to be kept in the tropics without refrigeration.

History of the dish

The word 'adobo' came with the Spanish colonisers, but the dish existed in the Philippines long before them — indigenous people already preserved meat in vinegar. The Spanish named this method, associating it with similar marinating techniques from home.

Key ingredients

Chicken (bone-in pieces) or pork, soy sauce, white vinegar (or rice vinegar), garlic (plenty), bay leaves, black peppercorns, sugar (optional), oil.

How to cook at home

Braise covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and let the sauce reduce to a glaze, turning the meat. Final step: fry the pieces in the remaining oil for a golden crust. This is 'dry adobo'.