I love my job. I'm an ESOL teacher. (ESOL - English to Speakers of Other Languages) No matter our cultural difference, our religious difference, our nationalities, and whatever other differences we have we also have similarities. One similarity that I share with my students is the fact that we all eat. It may not be the same types of food but we all eat. Many of my students share their favorite foods mom or dad cook from their culture. Many of my students are "western-ized" and love burgers, fries and pizza. Yet they all to some degree will tell of their favorite "home-cooked" comfort food.
Tonight's menu was supplied by a very bright young man. He explained to me that in the Philippines the men do a lot of the cooking and his dad makes the best Chicken Adobo. The following is his favorite meal, and I can add... I know why. It's very good!
Ingredients-
3 lbs chicken thighs and legs (skinless)
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic minced
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar Splenda blend
Salt and pepper to taste (more pepper than salt as the soy sauce has plenty of sodium)
2 cups chicken broth
How to -
Clean, trim and remove the skin from the chicken.
In a non-reactive bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken broth and mix well.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
Pour all ingredients in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high to high heat.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cover for thirty minutes.
After thirty minutes, remove lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes to reduce liquid and thicken.
Serve with white long grain rice using broth over the rice.
We all really liked this meal. Natalie had a double helping. I served pan-seared asparagus and mushrooms as a side. Natalie loves asparagus too. A very enjoyable meal thanks to a very bright young student.
ENJOY!
I actually have the ingredients on hand! Guess what's for dinner tomorrow:) thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWe had the leftovers for lunch today... still good!
DeleteI love this!! Love some Asian good and adobo sauce. That's awesome that you are an ESL teacher!!!
ReplyDeleteI went back to school in 2007 to get my Elementary Ed degree. When I graduated in 2008, I was offered the current postition by our Elementary Super.. I love it.
DeleteI can totally see why this went over so well. It looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing job you have. It's such a privilege for you to be able to touch the lives of these people who are attempting to make the United States their home by adopting its language fully. Bravo on your hard work and commitment to immigrants!
It has really opened my eyes as well as my heart to these kids. I have a whole new perspective for country as the Melting Pot. I really get angry when I hear negative comments about immigrants whether legal or illegal. Really? If you knew the HELL some of these kids were living in.. you'd send them back?? VERY VERY few are "on the government's dime". Most are extremely hard working and frugal. Some lessons Naturalized Americans should try. Notice I did not say NATIVE Americans. Only a small few percentage of folks, can actually claim America as their native land....
DeleteWhat a delicious and healthy meal! Bookmarked
ReplyDeleteI love Chicken Adobo. That's really cool that you're inspired by your kids to make different foods :)
ReplyDeleteMy mother-in-law(Spanish) does something similar, except uses a little safron when cooking the chicken with garlic alot of olive oil, capers, bay leaves. She doesn't use soy-sauce. When chicken is ready she pours beer instead of water and adds her rice and cooks the rice in the chicken uncoverered. She adds green olives, when she adds the rice and beer. The yeast gives it a great flavor.She also adds a little more safron to the rice. It is delicious.
ReplyDeleteabove anonymous, Sheri Sandoval. My mother in law never has marinated hers in advance, I'm gonna try that and I think without the soy sauce and use white whine maybe.
DeleteThanks for you comments Sheri! Let me know how it turns out.
DeleteOne of my all time favorites growing up. My best friend is filipino so we ate this a lot.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what a chiptle pepper in adobo sauce would add to this dish? I may give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThat looks really good. How cool that you can engage food conversations with your students. They always say 'food brings people together'.
ReplyDeleteI wanna give it a try sometime, thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDelete