Adobo Flakes

Any Filipino cook worth his/her salt will know how to make adobo. This dish of meat stewed in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and pepper is prepared in almost every household in the Philippines. But each region, each province and each cook will have his or her own variation of this ubiquitous dish.

This version of mine is by far my favorite way of cooking adobo. I don't make it often because it involves many steps and dirties up so many pots and dishes. But when I do, I make a huge batch enough for 3 meals or so. I serve one portion and freeze the rest so we can reheat the adobo and have it when we feel like having something truly Filipino.

ADOBO FLAKES

8 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)

2 cups light soy sauce

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

10 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbsp. whole peppercorns

4 bayleaves

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. oil

1. In a non-reactive pot, simmer chicken in the next 6 ingredients for about 45 minutes. Do not cover the pot and rearrange the chicken once in a while to make sure that all of the pieces spend some time submerged in the simmering liquid.

2. Once the chicken is done, take the pieces out and cool. Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid and remove all the fat that floats on top. Set the liquid aside.

3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.

4. In a non-stick pan, saute the minced garlic in the oil until brown and add the chicken meat plus 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Boil over medium high heat.

5. As the liquid evaporates, break up the chicken pieces and stir occasionally. Add 1/4 cooking liquid at a time and let this evaporate while shredding the chicken meat with a spatula.

6. Continue with this for another 4-6 times or so, adding liquid as the chicken meat dries up. You will use up about 1 and 1/2 cup of your cooking liquid.

7. Let the chicken meat fry in the pan, stirring frequently and making sure the bottom does not burn. Slowly, you will see that the chicken meat will become dry and slightly crisp.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are pictures of the transformation...from the ordinary to the sublime :-)