Remember my blog post about Learning to Cook at a Later Age? In that post, I talked about how my mother never really expected us to learn how to cook at a young age. She wanted us to focus on our studies, and for her, the kitchen was not a place for children. Only she was the master of the kitchen, and she didn’t want anyone bothering her while cooking.
My Insecurity
Admittedly, over the years, while I was growing up, not knowing how to cook was like a handicap of mine. It made me a little envious and insecure of those who know their way in the kitchen. This feeling of insecurity intensified when I got married and was left alone at home while my husband was at work. I didn’t know how to cook. I cannot cook for myself and my husband. And, I began craving for food, a specific kind that I was missing so much—Filipino food.
Why and How I Learned to Cook
My craving for Filipino food was the motivation for me to learn how to cook. I most especially missed having my favorite dish, “Adobo.” “Adobo” is a Filipino dish made either with chicken or pork, but can also be a combination of both. My sister, who is an excellent cook, also taught me how to make “Adobo” with beef, which is not very common.
Adobo – Philippines’ National Dish
“Adobo” is comfort food for us, Filipinos. It is unofficially, the Philippines’ national dish. Aside from the main ingredients, chicken and pork, it is made with soy sauce, vinegar, lots of garlic, and peppercorns.
“Adobar”
“Adobo” comes from the Spanish word, “adobar,” which means “to marinate.” Thus, the way to cook Adobo is to first marinate the meat before doing other cooking procedures. Over time, however, cooking Adobo has changed from one person to another, from one province to another, from one generation to another. There had been a lot of changes, tweaks, and twists, in the Adobo, that there isn’t ONE WAY to make it. Each Chef, mom, aunt, grandma, have different ways of cooking it. Every one of them is special, unique, and authentic.
A Symbolism
I love “Adobo.” It brings me back home to my country whenever I have it. For me, it is not just a dish. It is a memory of the many times the family was together. It is a symbol of identity (as Filipinos), and unity, and it is a reminder of who I am and where I came from.
This is another version of Adobo. It is called White Adobo because it has no soy sauce and is a lot drier than most types of Adobo.
