Adobong Pula or Adobong Tuyo

(Red Adobo, Dry Adobo or Adobo Seca)

This dish is not much different from the regular adobo in taste except it is dry and it has no soy sauce in it but it has coloring from achuete or annato seeds extract.

After I made it and when I ate it, I liked this kind of adobo better than the regular adobo.  I heard this is the popular way of cooking adobo in the Philippine regions north of Manila, so I never had it before until now. 

I saw how this is cooked on a video on FB so I just tried to copy the procedure but I made my own recipe amounts to accommodate our taste.

Also, instead of manually extracting the coloring from the achuete or annato seeds, I used a packet of powdered achuete by Sazon Goya and cut down the procedure to make it simpler and quicker.

You may also add some pre-fried chunks of potatoes in it if you like.  Pre-fry the potatoes to brown but not completely cooked.  Set them aside.  Add them at about the end of the cooking, just before the meat gets tender and continue to simmer until the potatoes are done and the meat is tender.

The potatoes actually will make it more subtle and also can extend the size of the dish if there are more people to serve. 

This dish is always eaten with white rice but bread can also be good eaten with it.   

This is a small batch for 2 to 3 people.  You can double the recipe for more servings.

• 1 lb. pork (preferably with a little fat) OR 1 lb. chicken pieces or boneless thighs OR a combination of both
• ¾ tsp. fine salt or 1 tsp. coarse salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 TBS. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. cracked or whole peppercorn
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 packet Sazon Goya Seasoning Con Culantro y Achiote (Coriander & Annato)
• 3 TBS. white vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• Cooking oil
• Red Chilies or Jalapenos (optional)

Cut up the pork about 1 ½ inch cubes or smaller.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the pork pieces, making sure all pieces are salted by mixing them  with your hands then set it aside for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and water in a small bowl and add the achiote seasoning.  Stir to dissolve the powder and set aside.

Heat about 1 TBS. oil in a skillet.  Drop in the pork pieces and stir fry until no longer pink.  Drop in the minced garlic, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan to avoid burning.  Cook the pork until lightly browned but make sure the garlic does not burn.  Maintain a med.-low heat (270° F). 

Add the vinegar/water mixture to the pork in the skillet.  Also add the peppercorn and bay leaves.  Boil, then cover and lower the heat to simmer for about 40 minutes or until the meat is tender.  Make sure to stir occasionally but not at the first 5 to10 minutes.  Don’t let it dry up before the meat is tender. Add a couple tablespoon of water if it is getting dry and continue to simmer until done or until the pork is tender.

When the pork or meat is tender, you can add a few pieces of cut up chilies if you like.  If there is any watery sauce left, raise the temperature a little and continue to boil and stir uncovered until there is no more water left but fat.  But it is all up to you and how you like it. 

This dish is supposed to be dry, hence called Adobo Seca (Dry Adobo), unlike the regular adobo that has a little gravy.  However, I did not find it appetizing to include the grease when serving it so you can spoon the meat in the dish and leave the grease in the pan.      

However, if you prefer to have a little saucy gravy, then you can stop right here, shown in the picture below.