Sunday 2 October 2011

My mother's adobo

I was one of those kids blessed with parents that could cook well.  Really really well. Often we would choose to stay home, rather than go out for dinner, as food at home was simply better. And I guess my love of food came from this!  I spent much of my younger years in the kitchen, sometimes helping, sometimes eating and sometimes coming up with new recipes (microwave cheese doughnuts, yum).

My mother is half Spanish and half Filipino, and her cooking has influences from both places.  She has a number of crowd pleasing favorites, with one of my favorites being adobo.  It is a typical Filipino recipe, usually made from chicken and pork and a sauce of vinegar and soy sauce.  Make sure you use white vinegar - I once made this with malt vinegar and it was really weird and not very nice.

This recipe is really flexible.  If you are not on a diet, treat yourself and use a pork cut that is quite fatty like pork belly - it really makes it much more tasty.  Also leaner cuts of pork can end up becoming quite dry.  Alternatively for a more healthy version, just use chicken - skinless thighs are probably the best choice.

My mother's adobo


Serves 4
5 chicken legs and/or thighs - with or without skin
3-400 g pork - belly pork is ideal - cut into chunks
3-4 big cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cut soy sauce
1 cup water
3 bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp oil
3-4 handfuls of fresh or frozen spinach

1.  In a heavy pan, heat the oil and brown the chicken and pork.  Do this in batches if necessary.  Put the meat to the side.  If there is too much fat left in the pan, pour some of it out.
2.  Add the minced garlic and lightly fry for minute or two.  Add the vinegar and bring to a boil.  Then add the soy sauce, meat, bay leaves and black peppercorns.  Add enough water so that the meat is just about covered in liquid and stir.
3.  Bring to a boil, then turn it down and simmer covered for about 45 minute to an hour (or until the pork is really melting and tender - the longer you leave it, the better it gets).  Taste the sauce - if it is too strong, add some more water, and if it is too mild, a bit more soy sauce.
4. Add the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes.  Then it is ready to eat!

This dish is served best over white steamed rice or rice noodles.  And always make sure you make extra - it is especially good when eaten the next day!