Ridiculously Easy Filipino Recipes

Among the sure-hit Filipino dishes, I love adobo the most because it's so easy and yet it tastes like a lot of work goes into it. This makes adobo the perfect dish for impressing a flame--even his mom! And because it's so easy, it's also perfect for students and busy moms who want "real" food that--get this--tastes better the more times you re-heat it! That's right, adobo is virtually "indestructible", which is why it's a Filipino favorite at picnics, beach trips, and anything else that involves long trips and long storage periods.

EDEN'S CHICKEN-PORK ADOBO

Here's what you'll need for this ridiculously easy Filipino adobo:

½ kilo chicken
1 kilo pork (you can use either chicken or pork, but for best-tasting adobo, use both! Besides, this is my mom's version we're trying to replicate, remember? harhar)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed (the more garlic, the better)
1 tablespoon calamansi or lemon juice
½ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon MSG (you can do without this if you prefer your food MSG free)
½ tablespoon ground pepper
1 bay leaf

(Note: you can experiment with the measurements depending on how garlicky or peppery you like your food. But for now, I suggest you stick with these, just to be on the safe side.harhar)

Here's what you do:

1. Put all the meat (cut into 2-3-inch pieces)and crushed garlic into a pan.

2. Mix in the calamansi or lemon juice, soy sauce, MSG, and ground pepper.

3. Cover the pan and set the stove to medium heat.

4. Let boil for 2-3 minutes then turn the meat.

5. Cover the pan again and lower the heat a bit.

6. Once it boils, turn the meat again. The objective here is to repeat the process until the combined taste of the garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce seeps into the meat and caramelizes. Eventually, the meat will be boiling in its own fat.You'll know your adobo is done when the meat is deep brown and almost shredding from tenderness (my mom gets it tender enough to the point that you can chew the chicken bones).

7. Tear up a bay leaf and add it into the pan a few minutes before you turn off the heat.

And you're done!

Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes (preferably longer, because the longer the meat stews in the garlic-lemon juice-soy sauce concoction and its own fat, the better it'll taste.

Serves 10 people (or 1 person 10 times. Remember: it tastes better the more you re-heat it!)

Kain tayo! (Let's eat!)
For more Filipino recipes made easy, go to www.filipinorecipes.brighterplanet.org