Filipino Whole30 Eats: Adobong Sitaw (Quickie Veggie)

If there is any dish that non-Filipinos associate with Filipino cuisine, it would probably be adobo – pork or chicken adobo, that is. However, adobo also refers to the method of cooking these dishes, and the method can be applied to many different kinds of meats and veggies. On top of the more well-known pork and chicken versions, you also have adobong pusit (squid), adobong bangus (milkfish), adobong kangkong (water spinach), adobong kabuti (mushroom), adobong talbos na kamote (sweet potato greens), and a host of others.

And there’s this: adobong sitaw (long beans), another example of a quick and easy Filipino veggie. This recipe is pretty basic and adaptable; by substituting other veggies for the sitaw, you can make a number of other veggie adobo dishes.

Translations
Adobo (ah-doh-boh): various meat and vegetable dishes simmered or braised in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic
Sitaw (see-tau): long beans

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of sitaw, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces (about 4 cups); if sitaw is not available, you can substitute green beans
• 1/4 lb. pork belly, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a large pan in medium heat. Sauté the pork until it starts to brown and the fat starts to render and liquefy.
2. Add the garlic and onion slices and sauté until the garlic turns light brown and the onions start to soften, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the coconut aminos, vinegar, water, black peppercorn, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan, and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the sitaw, mix everything together, and bring the sauce to a boil again. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and let simmer an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the sitaw is tender crispy.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Makes about 3 servings.

How this is Whole30

Coconut aminos replaced soy sauce in this recipe.

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