Thank you for learning more about ADOBO!!!
So why is adobo our signature dish? Not only is adobo the unofficial dish of the Philippines, there are many ways in which adobo embodies the characteristic flavors of Filipino food: the unctuous salty & umami from the soy sauce, the floral notes from the various aromatics, and most importantly - ACIDITY from the vinegar.
Adobo derives its name from the Spanish word adobar, to marinate. After first landing on Philippine shores in the mid-1500’s, Spanish colonizers & missionaries noticed native Filipinos marinating their food as method of preservation. These marinades were acidic in nature, with the acid naturally inhibiting bacterial growth & thus delaying spoilage. With souring agents playing such a huge role in the food history of the Philippines, acid has become ingrained as one of, if not the hallmark flavor-profile(s) of Filipino cuisine.
In modern times, most folks (including us) use vinegar as the primary source of acid in adobo. However, you can make adobo with practically any souring agent: from Calamansi (a kumquat-tangerine hybrid native to the Philippines), to other types of citrus, tamarind, kamias (fruit of the bilimbi tree)… the possibilities are endless.
And that’s the beauty of adobo - the variations you choose can lead to dramatically different dishes. You can find adobos that are sweet, some that are lip-puckering-ly sour, some that use coconut milk, and even some that don’t use a drop of soy sauce! It highlights how regionalized & varied Filipino cuisine can be. On top of it all, there are so many external influences that have made their way into adobo as well: soy sauce from East Asia, the use of pork from the aforementioned Spanish colonizers, spices from South & Southeast Asia… in the truest sense, adobo can be seen as the original Asian fusion dish and highlights how amazingly diverse and deep the roots of Filipino food culture are.
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Besides its cultural impact, adobo will always hold a special place in my heart for a couple distinct reasons:
(1) Adobo was one of the first Filipino dishes I made growing up. I was just tall enough to use the stove. I distinctly remember making adobo in its purest & simplest form - I simply threw all the ingredients (vinegar, soy sauce, chicken, onion, garlic & bayleaves) into a pot and just let it simmer away :)
(2) Adobo was Kuya’s Cooking’s official launch dish (pictured above)! I will never forget driving in four-degree weather during the middle of the pandemic to personally deliver adobo to everyone who ordered from us. If any of my early adopters are reading this (you know who you are) - I just want to take another moment to thank you again for your continued support. Your love & appreciation of our food has made what Kuya’s Cooking is today.
While Kuya’s Cooking’s signature adobo is far different from the version I made as a kid, the flavors that I reminisce about still call out to me. No matter how one makes adobo, don’t let its humble ingredients belie the underlying complexity; adobo is a lesson in balance and proportion. The combination of the soy sauce, aromatics & vinegar create a harmony which easily surpasses the sum of the individual components.
I hope you enjoy our updated take on this amazing dish!
-Aldrin