Adobo de Campesino

According to Gene Gonzalez, owner and instructor of Center for Asian Culinary Studies and author of The Little Adobo Book, the presence of annatto oil in this Southern Luzon favorite must have originated from the Spanish friars since other Hispanized colonies use annatto oil too. Aside from sitaw, you can  also use other legumes like sigarilyas.

Serves 4  Prep Time 10 minutes  Cooking Time 20 minutes

8 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons annatto (achuete) oil (recipe below
700 grams pork belly (liempo) or leg (pigue), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup yard-long beans (sitaw), sliced into 1-inch lengths

1  Sauté garlic in annatto oil. Add pork and stir-fry until brown.

2  Add vinegar and simmer; don’t stir until vinegar boils and releases its acidic odor. Add pepper, fish sauce, and salt and continue simmering over low heat until pork is tender.

3  Before serving, ladle out the pork into a serving dish. Toss beans in the pan and cook until tender. Add beans to the pork and serve together on a platter.

How to make annato oil: Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan and add 1/2 cup annatto seeds. Simmer for a few minutes until oil is reddish-orange in color. Strain seeds.

Photography by Miguel Nacianceno | Produced and Styled by Rachelle Santos | Props from Gourdo's (basket and wooden charger)

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