Hawaiian Adobo

Sorry folks, that's the best picture I can come up with. Every other shot was fuzzier. I think I was holding the camera too near the subject. Anyway, about this dish - nothing fancy schmaltzy about it. Just your usual adobo (pork or chicken) then add a tin can of pineapple chunks, simmer a little and presto you've got grass-skirted adobo! I just love the tangy bite of the pineapple mixing in with the salty-soury adobo sauce. To give the pineapple a chance of blending well, your adobo sauce should not be too vinegary or at least equal balance of soy sauce saltiness and vinegar sourness. This does not necessarily mean equal volume. You will have to go by taste or trial and error to achieve this. For the brand of soy sauce and vinegar I use (Wo Hup and Datu Puti respectively) my proportion is of equal volume. But if I use Marca Pina or Silver Swan, I have to reduce the soy sauce or increase the vinegar to achieve the same.

The first time I met this dish was in the 70s when I think there was a rage of anything Hawaiian i.e., pineapples were added to everything. My Tita Perly first cooked them for me and it's only recently that I remembered this one favourite. 'Hope you liked it, too.


Hawaiian Adobo

1 kg  pork or chicken - cut into serving pieces
1 x 425 g  can of pineapple chunks
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar

1. Combine meat, garlic, peppercorns, soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaves in a pot or saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer until meat is cooked and tender (about 30 minutes for chicken and 1.25 hours for pork). If it becomes too dry add a little hot water.
2. [Optional] Fry drained meat in batches in a separate pan with oil. Fry them briefly, just enough to brown them a little. Bring the meat back in the pot with sauce.
3. Add half of the pineapple chunks and all of its juices. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. [Optional]Add the remaining pineapple chunks for garnishing.
5. Dish up and serve.