Adobo

Adobo is pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaf, and it is considered the national dish of the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish word adobo, a marinade or seasoning, but the dish is Filipino, and its origin is debated. Accounts differ on how far back the vinegar-based method goes, and because every region and family cooks it differently, no single version can be called the original.

What it really is

Pork, most often belly or shoulder cut into pieces, is simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, crushed garlic, bay leaf and black pepper until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy, sharp and salty sauce. Many cooks brown the pork first. The vinegar gives the dish its sour edge, and the soy sauce supplies salt and colour. Adobo is better understood as a cooking method than as one fixed recipe, so the balance of sour, salty and garlicky flavours changes from kitchen to kitchen.

Adobo is not a marinade dish. The sauce is cooked with the meat, and the name for the method is used for chicken, pork, or other proteins, so the protein must be named on the menu.

How it's served

• Hot, with the sauce spooned over the meat.
• With steamed white rice, which soaks up the sauce and is the usual partner.
• As a main dish for sharing, and many cooks say it tastes even better the next day.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the protein and the cut, for example "pork belly adobo" or "pork shoulder adobo". Chicken adobo is a different item.
• Flag wheat and soy: soy sauce is the usual source of both, so mark them clearly for guests with allergies.
• State that it comes with steamed rice, and whether rice is included in the price.
• Say how sour and salty the dish is, since the vinegar strength varies between kitchens.