Adobo, a Pinoy favorite through the ages

Adobo has been a Filipino favorite since even before the time of Magellan.

 

When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, they encountered a local method of cooking and preserving meat similar to their own, and gave it its name.

 

It essentially refers to stewing meat in vinegar, but in the Philippines it has taken many forms — adobo with gata (coconut milk), with egg, with chili, with pineapple chunks and pineapple juice, and more.

 

Aside from the classic CPA (chicken and pork adobo), seafood and vegetables are also used as main ingredients like adobong pusit and adobong kangkong.

 

Adobo is also served almost anywhere — from humble carinderias to upscale hotels.

 

GMA News TV program "Good News" went on a search for the the best kinds of adobo in Metro Manila, visiting places that served twice-cooked adobo, adobo flakes, adobo with nuts, and a spicy, cheesy version.  

There could be hundreds of varieties but the key ingredients remain the same — meat, vinegar, bay leaf, garlic, pepper, and salt. 

 

Soy sauce is optional. Even though most households add soy sauce to adobo, some say that it is a fairly recent addition to the recipe. 

 

The cooking process is simple: Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. 

 

When the meat turns into a delightful golden brown and the fat starts oozing out, lower the fire  until the liquid becomes rich and thick in consistency.

 

At this point, the intense aroma should be wafting all over the house, a sign that lunch or dinner is ready. 

 

Adobo is best served hot, with the thick, fatty sauce poured over steaming white rice. 

 

Some say adobo is at its most delicious the day after it is cooked.

 

One thing is for sure: Whatever form it takes, whatever ingredients are added, adobo will be around wherever Pinoys gather. — Alyx Arumpac/VVP/HS, GMA News