Get to know Philippines' national dish, Adobo

The roots of the Philippines’ most well-known dish are not easy to trace, but we do know a few things about the origins of adobo, and how it’s evolved into the dish Filipinos love today. Read on to uncover the many faces of adobo, and why it inspires such devotion in its fans.

Few subjects in the Philippines raise as many differing opinions as the right way to make adobo. It’s a topic everyone feels passionately about, whether they cook or not. The reason is that a good adobo is a life-changing dish. Everyone wants everyone else to experience the epiphany, but the devil – as they say – is in the details, and the details can be squabbled about endlessly.

How to make Adobo

At its most basic level, adobo is a dish of protein braised in vinegar and spiced with garlic and black peppercorns. Beyond that, there is very little agreement. But let’s backtrack a bit.

We know the Malay voyagers who originally landed in the Philippines used vinegar and salt as a way of preserving food, keeping it edible for longer. In the hot tropical climate on the islands, vinegar appears again and again in traditional recipes, dating back to a time before refrigeration. Filipinos were already preparing their protein in a marinade of vinegar and salt before the Chinese traders arrived.

A simple pork Addobo/ Source Ernesto Andrade

Some of the Chinese traders, who ventured all over the region selling their wares, settled in the Philippines. They brought with them a number of ingredients that were quickly adopted by the locals, including ‘pancit’ noodles, and soy sauce. In many parts of the Philippines, soy sauce came to replace the use of salt in home kitchens, and so soy sauce is still considered a key ingredient of a good adobo in most households.

When the Spaniards arrived, they saw how the Filipinos used vinegar to marinate their chicken, pork, and fish. The Spanish word ‘adobar’ refers to a marinade or pickling sauce. In his writings, Pedro de San Buenaventura labeled the Filipino version ‘adobo de los naturales’ – adobo of the natives. The name stuck.

As each region of the Philippines has its own produce and preferred flavor profile, there are different versions of adobo across the islands. Where seafood was plentiful, adobo ng pusit (squid adobo with squid ink) became popular. In Southern Luzon, where heat and coconut milk are popular ingredients, adobo ng gata (adobo with coconut milk and green finger chilies) emerged. There are countless twists on adobo, and around the Philippines, you’ll find versions that include sugar, liver, potatoes, morning glory, laurel leaves, the list goes on.

Beef cheeks and tendons Adobo

In recent years, adobo has moved beyond its roots as a humble island dish, delighting diners at Filipino restaurant Purple Yam in New York and even the affection of former US President Barack Obama. Up-and-coming Filipino chefs shred the meat from adobo stew to create savory flakes to top salads, or to stuff in sushi. Adobo has featured on shows like Top Chef, and remains the ultimate test of any Filipino cook’s mettle.

Read more: Top dishes you need to try when visiting the Philippines

Home-made Adobo served with rice/ Source Pulaw

At its heart, adobo is a process of cooking, not a recipe. The tang of the vinegar is softened over low heat, intensifying the flavor of the meat, and creating a silky, mouthwatering sauce that is always, always served with fragrant white rice. Adobo’s long journey, its melding of cultures and ardent defenders all come together to tell a diverse and delicious story.

Source Esther De La Cruz/The Culture Trip

Discover the best dishes in Asian countries

Known as "the quintessence of a country", the cuisine is one of the main reasons why people love traveling to Asia. These signature dishes are not only tasty but also reflect the distinctive marks and special meanings of Asian countries.

Pho (Vietnam)

If you have a chance to travel to Vietnam, don't forget to try a bowl of pho. Pho is a noodle soup that is classically made from rice noodles, fresh herbs, vegetables (cilantro, lime, bean sprouts and chilies) and raw beef that cooks itself in a steaming bone broth.

Peking Duck (China)

Peking duck is one of the most significant Beijing dishes. The duck meat is characterized by its thin, crisp skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook.

Pad Thai (Thailand)

A dish of stir-fried rice noodles is thought by some to have been introduced to Ayutthaya during the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom by Chinese traders and subsequently altered to reflect Thai flavor profiles. Pad thai is made with soaked dried rice noodles, which are stir-fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, and is flavored with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili pepper, and palm sugar and served with lime wedges and often chopped roasted peanuts.

Bibimbap (South Korea)

Probably the best-known Korean dish, Bibimbap is a must-try dish when traveling to South Korea. A hot stone bowl is filled with cooked rice and topped with vegetables, pickled Chinese radish, carrot, and mushrooms. Great care is taken to make the dish look attractive. Egg yolk and raw beef are also popular additions when stirred through they cook against the hot stone.

See more: Discover a taste of South Korea

Sushi (Japan)

For the unfamiliar, sushi refers to the Japanese preparation of vinegared rice served with a variety of ingredients, mostly fish and other types of seafood. It’s commonly eaten with pickled ginger and dipped in soy sauce mixed with wasabi. Unlike sushi which may contain cooked or prepared ingredients, sashimi is always served raw and without rice.

Banh Mi (Vietnam)

If you’re planning on traveling to Vietnam, the one sandwich you will hear about and will not want to miss is the Bánh Mì sandwich. This famous Vietnamese sandwich has been consistently ranked as one of the world’s best sandwich. A typical Vietnamese sandwich is a fusion of meats and vegetables from native Vietnamese cuisine such as chả lụa (pork sausage), coriander leaf, cucumber, and pickled carrots and daikon combined with condiments from French cuisine such as pâté, along with mayonnaise.

Dim Sum (Hong Kong)

If there’s one type of cuisine in Hong Kong that you’ll likely want to eat, again and again, it’s dim sum. Usually served for breakfast or lunch, the difficult part is choosing where to go amid the dizzying number of options. Hong Kong dim sum sessions were about tea appreciation - that's why dim sum meals are commonly known in Cantonese as yum cha.

Beef Noodle (Taiwan)

Beef noodle soup often referred to as beef noodles, is a Chinese and Taiwanese noodle soup made of stewed or red braised beef, beef broth, vegetables, and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. The beef noodle soup was first created by the Hui people during the Tang Dynasty.

Chicken Rice (Singapore)

You can say chicken rice is a comfort food among many Singaporeans. Not only is this a cheap dish, but it is highly fragrant, filling and nutritious. The rice itself is made via a complicated process of balancing the right amounts of garlic, ginger and chicken broth to achieve a fragrant rice. The chicken too undergoes a complex process of steeping at sub-boiling temperatures to create a stock and reusing the broth over and over again.

See more: Enjoy the best traditional Indian dishes

Source Internet