Explored Differences between Mexican and Filipino Adobo: A Comprehensive Comparison
Explore the tantalizing flavors of two distinct adobos, Mexican and Filipino, allowing you to elevate your cooking game. Here's everything you need to know to keep your adobos straight and savor every bite.
Growing up with Afro-Caribbean roots, I've always had adobo seasoning front-and-center in my kitchen. Marriage between my uncle and a Cuban woman introduced me to a fusion of Spanish and English Caribbean dishes, such as arroz con pollo, flan, curry chicken, fried plantains, baked ham, macaroni pie, moros y cristianos, tostones, and more. Despite language barriers and cultural differences, both cultures use adobo with meat and rice, making cooking adventures a fun, enlightening adventure.
My experience with adobo, however, changed when I tried Filipino adobo. With its sweet, tangy, garlic-infused flavor and fresh scallions, it was a unique, delicious take on the dish I thought I knew so well. So, how could two dishes with such similar names and basic characteristics differ so much? To answer that question, let's delve into the rich histories of Mexican and Filipino adobo.
Demystifying Adobo
Spanish Adobo or Adobar refers to both a rub seasoning and a marinade that people use to preserve and flavor meat. At its heart, the word "adobo" comes from the verb "adovar," which means "to marinate." Derived from traditional Spanish pickling sauces made of olives, vinegar, and spices, the word "adobo" was used to describe the preservation of meat through marinades and rubs. Basic adobo seasoning includes paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar.
Going Mexican
In Mexico, adobo is made with crushed chilies, spices, and vinegar to create a red, thick, and spicy marinade and sauce. It is commonly used as a marinade for grilled meats, but the sauce can also be used to simmer meats and side dishes. Mexican adobo is a delightful fusion of indigenous and colonial influences due to the addition of tomatoes and chilies to the traditional Spanish seasonings.
Try: Mexican Adobo Sauce Recipe
Filipino Flair
Filipino Adobo is more than just a marinade; it's an iconic dish in the Philippines. Made with meat, seafood, or vegetables, Filipino Adobo involves marinating ingredients in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic, browning them in oil, and then simmering them in the marinade.
Although it may seem similar to Mexican adobo in some ways, each culture adds its own signature flavor based on indigenous ingredients and local taste preferences. So, who invented adobo first? Spanish colonization introduced the dish to the Philippines, but Filipino adobo preparations predate European influence. The high acidity in vinegar, combined with the high salt content of soy sauce, helps prevent bacterial growth in meat, making adobo an essential part of the Filipino diet long before refrigeration was available.
Nowadays, with modern conveniences like refrigeration, it doesn't matter who invented adobo first. What matters is that this flavorful dish brings together cultures and adds excitement to any culinary adventure you embark upon.
- With their unique flavors, the indigenous ingredients used in Filipino Adobo have evolved it into a distinct dish from Mexican Adobo, despite both dishes sharing the basic characteristics of using marinades and spices.
- Enjoying the diverse culinary experience, growing up with a fusion of Spanish and English Caribbean dishes, I discovered that adobo is not only a seasoning staple but also a symbol of cultural exchange, united by its use in meat and rice dishes.
- The averages in flavor profile between Mexican and Filipino Adobo are different, with the former being red, thick, and spicy due to crushed chilies, while the latter has a sweet, tangy, garlic-infused flavor and fresh scallions, reflecting the indigenous ingredients and local taste preferences of each respective culture.
