The Happy Home Cook: Adobong Antigo
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Adobong Antigo (Photo courtesy of John L. Silva)
You know the routine if you’re a native gourmand. The chicken or the pork is marinated in the vino or rum, soy sauce, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar for at least 2 hours. Drain and discard the marinade.
The meat is fried till dark gold and the excess oil removed and buko (coconut) juice added. Simmer till they’re tender. You may garnish with garlic fried on the side.
The trouble with wine or liquor as part of recipes means you get to sip, sip a bit, maybe sip a bit more during cooking. That’s dangerous. By the time I sit for dinner, I tend to have a serene face accompanied by a couple of giggles. At least the Adobong Antigo is a hit. The buko juice gives it a sweet tang, a respite again from the standard robust adobo.
Ingredients
- A kilo [2.4 pounds] of the pork belly (liempo) cut in 2” lengths or chicken thighs
- ½ cup of aged rum or vino blanco
- 5 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 6 crushed garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A cup of vinegar
- A cup of buko (coconut) juice
- A small head of garlic, fried and crushed (optional)
John Silva
John L. Silva is executive director of the Ortigas Library, a research library in Manila.
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