Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1864) of Apolinario Mabini y Maranan a Filipino revolutionary leader, educator, lawyer, and statesman who served first as a legal and constitutional adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then as the first Prime Minister of the Philippines upon the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. He is regarded as the “utak ng himagsikan” or “brain of the revolution” and is also considered  a national hero in the Philippines.

Adobo is the classic dish of the Philippines, made with either chicken or pork.  Recipes vary from cook to cook and region to region ,but they all share a sour, vinegar base with a complementing sweetness.  This recipe is fairly standard.

Ingredients

2 lbs belly pork, cubed

2 tbsp minced garlic

5 bay leaves

4 tbsp white vinegar

½ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp whole peppercorns

2 cups water

salt

cane sugar

cooking oil

Instructions

Place the pork belly, soy sauce, and garlic in a sealable plastic bag, squeeze out the air, seal the top and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add a coating of cooking oil.  Drain and reserve the marinade from the pork, and brown the meat in the pot. 

Pour the reserved  marinade into the pot with the pork cubes and add the water, whole peppercorns, and dried bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Add the vinegar, salt and sugar to taste, and continue simmering for about 15 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed. Serve with plain boiled rice.