The Science of Spice

208 Spice Profiles

This spicy take on the usually mild Filipino dish

imagines what it might taste like had the nation

embraced more influences from the spice trade.

A classic adobo is made with pork and chicken,

but you could use just one or the other – or make

a meat-free version with sturdy vegetable

chunks, such as butternut squash.

SPICED FILIPINO

ADOBO WITH

CHICKEN AND PORK

1

Place the cardamom seeds, star anise, cinnamon, chilli flakes, and

peppercorns in a pestle and mortar, and grind vigorously until the

spices have been pulverized. Add the garlic and ginger, and pound

to a rough paste.

2

Put a heavy-based pan or wok on a medium heat, add the oil and

spice paste, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic and ginger

become fragrant and begin to colour.

3

Stir in the spring onions and sugar, then add the chicken and

pork. Stir to coat them with the spice mix.

4

Pour in the vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Add the bay

leaves and bring the pan to the boil.

5

Reduce the heat and cover the pan – use foil if your pan does not

have a lid. Simmer gently for 1 hour, until the meat is tender and

the liquid has reduced. Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried greens.

Serves 4–6

Prep time 25 mins

Cooking time 1 hour

seeds of 5 cardamom pods

1 star anise

2.5cm (1in) piece of cinnamon

½ tsp roasted chilli flakes or chilli

powder

1 tsp black peppercorns

6 garlic cloves, peeled

5cm (2in) piece of fresh root ginger,

roughly chopped

2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil

6 spring onions, chopped

2 tbsp palm sugar or muscovado

sugar

1 kg (2¼lb) chicken thighs and

drumsticks

300g (10oz) pork tenderloin, cut into

chunks

100ml (3½fl oz) coconut vinegar or

white wine vinegar

100ml (3½fl oz) dark soy sauce

250ml (9fl oz) chicken stock

3 bay leaves

SPICE

IDEAS

Replace the first three

sweetly fragranced

spices with a more

earthy mix of cumin,

paprika, and turmeric.

Use sulphurous spices,

such as mustard, curry

leaves, and asafoetida,

to emphasize the

meatiness of the dish.

Alter the citrus-sour

profile by replacing

the vinegar with

tamarind water and

adding lemongrass to

the paste mix.

208-209_Recipe_Spice_Adobo.indd 208 04/06/2018 15:50