OXO Good Grips Silicone Slotted Spoon
Buy Now →30-Minute Vegan Filipino Adobo
This is my 30-minute vegan Filipino adobo recipe that actually comes close to real thing. It is rich, satisfying and full of flavor. The secret is being generous with all of the aromatics and using enough oil to ethically mimic the rendered animal fat that makes traditional adobo so rich and tasty.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stewing
- Cuisine: Philippine
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cups vegetable oil or another neutral oil with high smoke point
- Two (2) 12 oz blocks of extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
- 6 oz or 170 grams soy curls (do not rehydrate in water beforehand)
- One whole head of garlic, cloves crushed, peeled and ends removed
- 2 inch or 27 grams, fat piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup of whole black peppercorns
- 1 3/4 cups white vinegar
- 1 3/4 light soy sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon of organic light brown sugar
- At least 2 dried bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat a large pot to medium high. When the pan is hot after about 1 minute, add all the oil to the wok or large pan.
- When the oil is hot enough after 1-2 minutes, add the garlic, ginger, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is translucent but not brown.
- Carefully add the rest of the ingredients in the following order, evenly spreading around the pot as much as possible: brown sugar, soy curls, tofu, vinegar, water and soy sauce.
- Make sure all the ingredients, especially the soy curls and tofu, are submerged in the liquid as much as possible.
- Bring to a boil and then immediately bring to a rapid simmer (so medium high) for 15 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning to taste (more light soy sauce if you want it to be more salty for example)
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes while you get your fine mesh strainer and a sealable food storage container big enough to hold leftovers.
- Using the fine mesh strainer, drain the oil into the sealable container as much as you can. You will keep this oil for storing the leftover adobo.
- With a slotted spoon, serve the not-super-oily adobo with white rice, preferably Jasmine.
Equipment
OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Double Rod Strainer
Buy Now →ZWILLING Spirit 3-ply 6-qt Stainless Steel Dutch Oven
Buy Now →Notes
- The vinegar content for this is high as it is how I, as a Filipina, like it. Adjust to your preferences. This is a vinegary dish and is meant to be.
- Because we’re not soaking the soy curls beforehand, the liquid in the pan is going to do the work.
- I have an induction range so you have to adjust accordingly based on your own stove. If oil is splattering, then the heat is too high. So turn down the heat.
- Use a mesh colander when draining the oil to not lose any peppercorns. The only thing we’re trying to lose before serving is excess oil.
- Do not throw out the oil. The oil serves as a brine and marinade. The adobo will dry out if it’s not sitting in oil. Let it soak in the aromatics when it’s not being eaten.
- Reiterating that this is not a soup. This is not a stew. The oil is not a broth. Because this is an oily dish, make sure to use a slotted spoon even after draining.
- The best way to eat this is served with Jasmine rice with a spoon in your dominant hand and a fork in your non-dominant hand. The fork pushed the rice into the spoon. So sensible. It’s the Filipino way.
- I do eat peppercorns whole but not everyone does. You don’t have to. If you have any questions about the safety of it please do your own research.
Keywords: filipino food, adobo, filipino adobo, peppercorns, dried bay leaves, vinegar, soy sauce, simmer dish, vegan
Find it online: https://bakeroise.com/30-minute-vegan-filipino-adobo-recipe/