Kain Na: Pork Adobo Recipe

And so, the time for me to learn how to cook adobo has finally come. 

Being an 18 year-old Filipina, it's such a shame that some Tagalog-speaking white guy on Vimeo's got better knowledge of cooking this dish than I do. I know how to cook Czech and Slovak dishes, so why not this simple and what-seems-to-be-the-universal-ulam of the Philippines that everyone seems to love?

So, having a free day today, I helped my grandmum around the kitchen to prepare lunch.

For those who don't know, "Adobo" (seasoning/marinade) is a name given by the Spanish to an indigenous Filipino dish that made use of vinegar for stewing. And over the years, the adobo has been modified in so many ways that there's never a certain recipe for this dish. At home alone, my mum's, aunt's, and grandmum's versions of adobo greatly differ.

Most of the time, the taste and the ingredients of the adobo highly depend on the preference of the cook and the people who will eat his dish. Some make use of onions, bay leaves, and potatoes, while others don't. Some rule out the soy sauce and just cook the adobo with oil and vinegar. And some even make meatless adobo by replacing pork and chicken with vegetables like eggplants or okras. 

Limitless is the best word to describe the possibilities of cooking adobo, and in this post, I will show you one of the simplest ways to cook it.

Pork Adobo

Pork Belly (Cubed)

Salt

Garlic

Black Peppercorns (Whole and Ground)

Vinegar

Soy Sauce

Water

Olive Oil

***

1. Place the cubed pork belly in a pan, and it with sprinkle a pinch of salt.

2. Mince about three cloves of garlic, and add it in the pan, followed by black pepper.

3. Mix the meat and spices.

4. Add some vinegar and soy sauce.

5. Marinate the adobo for 2-3 hours, but about 20 minutes will do, just for the flavours to sink into the meat.

6. Pour a cup of water into the pan, and bring into a boil. Occasionally stir.

7. Add more water if the meat isn't softened enough and the sauce has dried out.

8. Pour a little amount of olive oil into the pan.

9. Let it stand until the meat is tender enough.

10. Serve.

♥Andz