There are many things I will always think fondly of when it comes to my years in Singapore.
And though the gastronomic delights rank among the top 5, one of the singular things I miss most is the cultural diversity - people from all over the world living in a crush on a tiny speck of an island no more than 247 square miles was an exhilarating experience to say the least.
Not to mention the steamy tropical temperatures and rains that seemed to arrive every afternoon like clockwork.
I accepted my first proper job in Singapore and I was delighted to find myself surrounded by Filipino community. As a community and I hate to generalize, here is a bunch of good spirited people who love good food, parties & laughter in equal quantity and being around them means some of that good humor is bound to rub off.
Working in one of the most stressful high-tempo environments on the planet, the Filipino brand of humor helped all of us fellow 'expats' get through the day and survive the work week with a sense of well being and all round jocularity.
My first experience in Makati City, Manila during my early teen years was riddled by memories of hawkers & dust, open air buses that never ever stopped - people simply jumped on and off them as well as some of the most lecherous gawking men I had ever come across in my life!
Needless to say my fellow Filipinos in Singapore were a welcome surprise. It was in the company of these friends that I learned all about Chicken Adobo and Deep Fried Milk Fish - some of my favorite foods in the world.
Especially on busy days with a little bit of planning before running off to work, Chicken Adobo always gallops to the rescue like a knight in shining armor on a white horse.
My only problem with writing this post is whether a handful of qualifies as a recipe. That being said, the very name adobo refers to a common cooking process indigenous to the Philippines that involves stewing foods with vinegar. To this is simply added a ton of garlic, ground black pepper, soy sauce, an onion and a couple of bay leaves. And the result is simply delicious. So here's to all my Filipino friends in Singapore, who made my life so much better. Thank you.
And who says great things can't come in small packages!
Gather the ingredients,1 qty 3-4 lb whole chicken, 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup dark soy sauce, 1 large yellow onion, 2 tbs freshly finely chopped garlic, 2-3 bay leaves, 1-1/2 tbs ground black pepper (not a typo), 1 tsp salt & 2 tbs oil
Chicken: Joint the chicken leaving skin on. Cut away and discard any excess fat. You can also ask your butcher to do this.
Onion: Cut away the ends, discard the skin and cut into 1/2" squares.
Marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper.
Pour the marinade in a plastic zip-loc bag. Add the cut chicken pieces. Close the bag and toss the bag around so the marinade completely covers the chicken or rub with clean hands. Set aside for a minimum of 4 hours preferably overnight.
Heat the oil in a large chicken fryer on medium high heat.
Add the chicken pieces without the marinade and brown on all sides for about 10-15 minutes.
Add the onions & bay leaves and saute for about 5-10 minutes until just beginning to turn translucent.
Add the marinade. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 1 hour until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Good to know: The skin will release its fat and there will be a layer on the gravy. Use a gravy-fat seperator to remove excess fat before serving. Or else, use kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess fat on the surface.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Recipe for
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Serves 4-6
Preparation time – 20 minutes
Marination time - overnight or a minimum 4 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Shopping list
1 qty 3-4 lb whole chicken
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1 large yellow onion
2 tbs freshly finely chopped garlic
2-3 bay leaves
1-1/2 tbs ground black pepper (not a typo)
1 tsp salt
2 tbs oil
Preparation:
Chicken: Joint the chicken leaving skin on. Cut away and discard any excess fat. You can also ask your butcher to do this.
Onion: Cut away the ends, discard the skin and cut into 1/2" squares.
Marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper.
Pour the marinade in a plastic zip-loc bag. Add the cut chicken pieces. Close the bag and toss the bag around so the marinade completely covers the chicken or rub with clean hands. Set aside for a minimum of 4 hours preferably overnight.
Method:
Heat the oil in a large chicken fryer on medium high heat.
Add the chicken pieces without the marinade and brown on all sides for about 10-15 minutes.
Add the onions and bay leaves and saute for about 5-10 minutes until just beginning to turn translucent.
Add the marinade. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 1 hour until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Good to know: The skin will release its fat and there will be a layer on the gravy. Use a gravy-fat seperator to remove excess fat before serving. Or else, use kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess fat on the surface.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Enjoy!
