The 8 faces of adobo
I have been intending to write about this for a long time. Not only because I am a fan of adobo, but thinking that it would help in a way those who are in the same situation.
(1) Adobong Puti (Stewed Pork and Chicken in White Vinegar) got its name from the white vinegar that it uses. However, the appearance of the dish is brown because of the frying. It is claimed that this is the classic version since it highlights the basic adobo flavors such as vinegar, garlic and peppercorns, and excludes soy sauce which outweighs the rest of the flavors.
If you will be living outside the country, would be living on your own, will be mandated to know by heart to prepare one dish, or at least because you are a Filipino, I think that it is necessary that you know how to cook adobo. While it is not officially declared as our national dish, it is often associated with Filipinos. I am particularly speaking for those based overseas, it would be very embarrassing when non-Filipino colleagues or whenever the situation would call for it that you must prepare an adobo, and you can not. Of course, simple googling and an overseas call probably to a family member (because each family has its very own adobo) would help, but believe me, if you still have the time, do not think twice to perfect it.
While it is improbable, if you are going to master only one dish in your lifetime, go for this. If you do, you will successfully please everyone even with an adobo week because of the several variations.
(2) Adobo sa Gata (Stewed Chicken in Vinegar and Coconut Cream) uses gata (coconut milk) which is most popular in Bicol.
Adobo is derived from the French adouber which originally means to dress a knight in armor and eventually meant to arrange, to construct, to tan leather, and to dress foods. During the Spanish colonization, adobar was introduced in the Philippines using the local vinegar instead of grave vine as used in their home country. [The Governor's General Kitchen, p. 43]
“… the Spanish and Mexicans saw the dish the Filipinos were already cooking, recognized its similarity to theirs, and called it adobo de los naturales which are the words used by dictionary maker Pedro de San Buenaventura (1613)…”
(3) Adobong Baka (Braised Beef in Vinegar) is the least common. On a personal note, I am not a fan of beef.
(4) Adobong Kangkong (Braised Water Spinach) is a version of the Ilonggo apan apan adobado. What differentiates it is the sprinkling of tulapa (bits of pork fat made up of oil) which is normally sold by bakeries which use pork lard to make Spanish cookies such as hojaldres, kinamoncil and banadas.
(5) Adobong Malutong (Crisp Adobo Flakes) can be made from left over chicken pork adobo or right after cooling down from its first cooking. It has a long shelf life, especially when refrigerated on a sealed container. This can be paired with kare-kare, sinangag or as a topping for lugaw (rice porridge).
(6) Adobong Manok at Baboy (Stewed Pork and Chicken in Vinegar and Soy Sauce) is popularly known as the standard version of adobo. The soy sauce gives it a dark color and salty flavor. This is my favorite among the versions and I normally put a little sugar in it. I also find it better the day after it is re-heated.
(7) Adobong Pusit (Stewed Squid) can be cooked with or without the ink sacs. I prefer it without the ink and with a decent amount of Sprite or 7-up in it.
(8) Adobong Puso ng Saging (Banana Flower Sauteed in White Vinegar) is also known as pancit puso (heart noodles) because the banana flower resembles the shape of a heart. The puso ng saging (banana flower) is used as a souring agent instead of calamansi.
Of course, I did not understand these many faces of adobo until I got this very reliable and helpful cookbook in 2008 (the delicious photos above were snapped from the recipe book’s pages), from one of the authors himself. It made wonders in my life in the kitchen, makes me, people joining me on the dining table /guests happier, and makes us put on weight (hahaha). I promise to write about it on my next entry.
i only cook the standard version. would it be possible to know which cookbook is this? great post.
Hi Kayni, I will write about the recipe book on my next entry.
what a coincidence… we just had adobo for 2 days straight. On the third day though, the adobo became crispy adobo flakes
I’ve been to your blog and Nugget is so cute. I presume gusto nya ang chicken adobo.
kaya hindi maging “national food” ng pilipinas ang adobo eh, daming versions. almost each region has its own recipe.
ako favorite ko yung fried adobo na madaming garlic. yum!
I read somewhere na “umaapela” pa si sinigang to be the national dish.
ang masasabi ko lang, ginutom mo ako wits. hehehe
your #6, adobong manok at baboy, is also my favorite.
Alam mo ba, tuwing makikita ko itong post na’to, nagugutom ako bigla.
Adobo! Yummy! Ang ulam na mas matagal eh mas masarap!
Sabi ng younger cousin ko, “ang buhay parang adobo, habang tumatagal lalong sumasarap”.
meron pa: adobong sili.
Whuuuut?! First time I’ve heard about that.
Dami plang klase ng adobo. Manok at baboy at pusit lang ang alam ko. Ay pati pala adobong sitaw.
My regret is not learning how to cook. Only now that I’m learning how to cook these food. Isa pa I can never copy/duplicate the way my “karenderia” makes the adobo. Thanks for the tip, I’ll google them.
Yes, I’ve tried adobong sitaw. In the preceding comment, Angeli says there’s adobong sili, too. :p
WoW sarap naman! This post made me hungry.
I hope all the photos will become “alive”.
Adonong puso ng saging, really? Anyway, my two fave are chix adobo sa gata and chix pork adobo (CPA)
That’s right. It was mentioned in the cookbook as CPA.
parang ang sarap ng adobong malutong ah.
pag ako nagluto ng adobo mga 3 hours siguro na lutuan kasi gusto ko tuyong-tuyo tapos super dami ng bawang.
Worth it naman yung 3 oras na pagluluto, basta masarap. Most of the time, yung mahihirap i-prepare ang nilu-look forward kong kainin. Lalo na pag hindi ako ang magpi-prepare. Haha.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Witsy Nutsy and neva arboleda-santos, Oodles of Goodles. Oodles of Goodles said: Oh boy! *tulo laway* RT @witsandnuts: The 8 faces of adobo (*drools*) http://bit.ly/a5rtJ0 [...]
I shared this post to my officemates. They told me that there is adobong ubod too…
That’s right, Renin. I remember eating something like that when I was still in high school. I think adobong ubod (ng kawayan) is popular in some towns in Laguna.
i love cooking adobo too. but prefer to eat it a day or two hehehe. cympre habang tumatagal lalong sumasarap ang adobo
Ako din excited akong kainin sya the following day.
yang adobong pusit ang paborito ko!!!
Hesitant akong kumain ng adobong pusit kapag hindi luto sa bahay. Baka kase malansa.
we have adobong langka, here, parang ensaladang langka…dito ko lang nalaman ang adobong puti, i always cook it, i just know it’s adobo, hehehe
Interesting. Nasubukan ko pa lang ginataang langka.
i haven’t admired any plating of adobong kangkong, which i also eat and enjoy, until this post! ang husay ng presentation, bravo! este mabuhay!
kakagutom ang mga adobo dito! who doesn’t like it?
I also liked the plating for adobong kangkong…thumbs up!
im amazed! will show this to my mom para mdami din ang variations ng adobo namin! hihi
Namention mo na kay mom?
Next time ikaw naman ang magluluto for her. Haha.
Isa lang alam ko na adobo, the regular one. Hehehe! But I’d try to google for the recipe of adobo sa gata. It looks yummy!!!
Have you tried the adobo sa gata already?
kakagutom ha. Pinaka fave ko yung basic adobo then si hubz ang type nya na pinapaluto sa akin eh yung cripsy adobo. There’s another version naman na nilalagyan ng pineapple tidbits then instead of vinegar, pineapple juice (na galing sa tidbits) naman ang gagamitin. Equally good din cya.
Kanin na lang kulang sa entry mong ito
Hi Jeanny, is that different from pininyahang manok?
If I remember it right, pininyahang manok has pineapple and coconut milk.
My mom uses calamansi juice instead of vinegar. I love it.
great idea. Ma try nga din yang calamansi.
oh, the many ways to cook adobo. interesting to find so many variations when you travel to the different parts of the Philippines — adobong tuyo, basa, walang suka, walang toyo, the list goes on and on…
For people like you who travel a lot, I bet you have encountered and tasted more than these 8 versions of adobo already.
This is very informative. All along I thought anything in “gata” are ginataan and not adobo. But the apan-apan we “ilonggos” cook are usually composed of kangkong’s stem without the leaves. Half fried para malutong. : )
Thanks. The illongo version is unique.
BTW, Ms. Jo, were you the one who cooked all the adobo featured here?
No. I just photographed the images from the recipe book that I follow. I’ve tried cooking some from the list, but I’ve yet to venture on adobong puso ng saging, adobong baka, and adobong kangkong. I’ve tried adobong sitaw and ampalaya (with sotanghon) which are not on the list.
wow, i’ve never known there could be this much to adobo LOL i like pork adobo the best!
… and there’s more! Based on the comments, adobong sili, langka, etc.
Waaahhh… you’ve made me crave badly for crispy adobo and adobong puso ng saging.
Whenever I refer back to this post, I get hungry just like now!
nice post. made me hungry with that puso ng saging adobo
well, enter Mamacita Adobo mix for a quick fix hehe.. Now that would be pretty easy to make
Haha, bestfriend ko din si Mama Sita mix!
as much i want to find 8 ways of saying wow! i cant. but this is one great post! i think that we’ll do. the adobong with a puso ng saging looks so good.
Thanks, Dom. Let me know if you’ve already tried adobong puso ng saging.
Wow, adobo overload! Yummy! Now I want some adobo. I like to try adobong malutong and adobong puso ng saging.
Based on the comments, the most likely to be tried version is the adobong puso ng saging.
Wow that made me hungry!
I guess as a Filipina dalagita the first dish you’ll ever really learn is adobo. It appears to be quite easy to make, but rather tricky when it comes to putting the right amount of soy sauce and vinegar. I’m afraid there are some days when still can’t get it right.
I do put a little sugar in my chicken-pork adobo, too.
I remember the first time I tried cooking chicken adobo, parang dagat alat daw. Nasobrahan hahaha.
adobong puso ng saging, gusto ko yun…di kasi pangkaraniwan.. maluto mamaya pag uwi. sikat ako pag ito ang iluluto ko.. ha ha ha.
Haha, natawa ako sa comment mo about being sikat. Pero tama ka, kelangan pala minsan adobong puso ng saging ihanda ko pag may okasyon, mukhang marami pang hindi nakasubok nito.
nakakagutom!!! im from bicol, and every chance we get, we put gata in our dishes, but the adobo sa gata of my mom still has soy sauce, so it’s not white like above.. one of the best adobos ive tried was in batanes– dry adobo with lots of garlic, almost like salpicao…ooooh we had it almost everyday!
I can just imagine how good is your Bicolano version of adobo. Btw, I miss your posts. Take care!
this is the best post na nakita at nabasa ko dito. a complete set of adobos. yum, yum!
Thanks, Red.
nice collection of adobo dishes.. i have not tasted the adobo with coconut milk and vinegar.. interesting and like you my fave is also chicken pork adobo.. i just had it for lunch as well – left over from friday.. it still tastes good after almost a week!
Adobo is like wine, it gets better as it ages. Thank you for visiting my blog.
I love adobong manok & baboy, adobong pusit, crispy adobo flakes, adobong atay and adobong bisaya (it doesn;t have a sauce & pork cubes are somewhat fried but the adobo flavor is still there)
[...] 6. WHEN ALMOST DONE, ADD VINEGAR AND GROUND PEPPER. eNJOY YOUR HEALTHY ADOBONG PUSO NG SAGING.iNGREDIENTS. 1. pUSO NG SAGING (Banana Bud) 2. mINCED GINGER, ONIONS AND GARLIC, AND GROUD PEPPER 3….EACH BANANA FLOWER UNTIL YOU REACH THE LIGHTER PART OF ITS COVERING. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, [...]