VEGAN ADOBO
Vegetarians and vegans will both enjoy this Filipino dish’s plant-based alternative. Pork Adobo is an outgrowth of Chicken Adobo, which has become one of our favorite go-to meals (which is excellent on little mini sliders for a party, in case you ever wondered).
When I thought about making this vegan dish, the idea occurred to me. This vegan adobo with seitan “chicken” is a work of art.
MEAT EATERS ARE GOING TO BE CAREFUL.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken braised for an extended period of time creates the sticky, unctuousness that makes Chicken Adobo so delectable. Without chicken fat, it’s nearly impossible to get the symphony of fat, salt, and acid that chicken fat provides.
When I suggested making a Vegan Chicken Adobo to my family, they all rolled their eyes. They gave me that “you’re young and on a fool’s errand” look I’ve been receiving from my friend since she fooled me into “racing” her up the stairs to see who could take the laundry from the basement the fastest. Yes. I can’t say I’m proud of myself.
But I proved her wrong with this one, and I’m proud of it!
To attain wealth, you can use vegan ingredients.
If you don’t have any chicken, how can you get the flavor of long-simmered fat from a bird? When onions and garlic are cooked gently, they develop a deep sweetness and umami flavor that permeates the dish. Our original recipe has no onions, but they are essential for the vegan version.
The best thick coconut milk you can obtain is very essential. Low-fat or non-Asian brands are out of the question right now. For some reason, the generic coconut milk from your local supermarket and the good old can of Aroy-D coconut milk differ greatly.
Traditionally, coconut milk is not used in adobo. We, on the other hand, like a particular regional Filipino variant. This vegan option also necessitates additional fat.
It’s also important to brown the seitan before adding it to the sauce and to cook it separately, so it doesn’t become overly salty.
The excellent vegan fats are now within your reach!
CANE VINEGAR – WHAT IS IT?
Sugar cane is used in this recipe to make “cane vinegar,” which you’ll see is a component listed as an ingredient.
“Datu Puti” is the name of the brand we buy in our local Asian market. Make certain you’re not purchasing one of their flavored vinegar. Alternatively, distilled white vinegar or rice vinegar can be used in its place if cane vinegar is unavailable (AKA rice wine vinegar).
Let’s get cooking now that that’s out of the way!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tbsp. of oil (divided)
- 1 pc. of large onion (halved and thinly sliced)
- 4 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 14 oz. of coconut milk
- 3 tbsp. of cane vinegar
- 2 tbsp. of dark soy sauce (you can also start with half this amount and adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp. of light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. of sugar
- 1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper
- 1 pc. of bay leaf
- 2 pc. of dried red chili peppers
- 8 oz. of chicken-style seitan
- 2 tbsp. of cilantro (chopped, optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Use a medium-high heat setting on a pan. Onion and garlic go into a small amount of oil. Soften the meat in a pan. While the onions can be somewhat crisped around the edges, their color shouldn’t change too much.
- You’ll also need to add two dried red chili peppers and a bay leaf to the coconut milk mixture. Remove from the heat after around 20 minutes of simmering.
- Add one more tablespoon of oil to the skillet and let it heat up (nonstick works great). Add the seitan to the pan and break it up or chop it into preferred shapes. Cook it till golden brown on all sides. After 5 minutes, add it to the sauce.
- Serve with steaming rice and chopped cilantro, if desired.