Adobong Batangas

Inspired by a fine lunch one day at Conti's I figured out the recipe for Adobong Batangas.  No soy sauce and the  yellowish color comes from achuete.  Clearly the taste comes from garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar.  Just like the same ingredients when making Inasal.

So today, I cooked Adobong Batangas and my wife loved it.  Fellow blogger (naks! eh para bang second post ko pa lang to) MyMomFriday http://www.mymomfriday.com/ asked me for the recipe so here it is:

1/2 kilo pork (cubes or adobo cut; liempo part works well as it is tender; kasim or pigue is also good)
garlic powder
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 pork cube (Knorr ehem, ayan nagplug ako Unilever ha?)
half cup of vinegar
2 tsp salt
pepper (ground or peppercorns)
2 pcs bay leaf
1 tsp sage (I use McCormick ground Sage)
annatto/achuete (seeds or the ground preparation from the supermarket)
cooking oil


In a skillet/wok/saucepan combine the pork, pork cube dissolved in 2 cups water, 3 dashes of garlic powder, vinegar, sage, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil on high heat,  cook covered until meat is tender.  Add another cup of water if it dries up.   Soak the annatto seeds in cooking oil for about 15 minutes or while you are waiting for the meat to cook.  It would also help if you heat the oil first before soaking the annatto seeds into them so that that yellow color of the annatto will seep faster.   Heat the now yellowish cooking oil in another skillet/wok/saucepan and saute the crushed garlic.  Add the pork without the sauce until it is a bit brown.  Add the sauce and bay leaf.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.   This is now ready serve.

Tip: cook lots of rice, thank me later...