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Chicken Around the World

May 18, 2012 By Delia

Every country has their own special chicken dish. Some, even more than one. But each region of the world enjoys dining on this fowl and imprinting their territory’s identity into a dish best served and eaten with friends and family.

USA: Southern Fried Chicken

Who doesn’t think of nice, crispy and juicy fried chicken when thinking of the south? Dubbed as “soul food”, Southern food are hearty and oftentimes rich in fats, carbohydrates and oils.

Their fried chicken is no different. Usually cut at the joints with the skins left intact, their fried chicken can either be pan fried, deep fried or pressure fried. The exterior of each cut is breaded. The breading is a mixture of flour and various seasonings. When fried, the breading becomes crispy and adds that special crunch into every bite.

CHINA: Crispy Fried Chicken

Unlike the American variant, the Cantonese fried chicken doesn’t make use of breading and is usually cooked whole. It’s a cultural staple in special occasions such as weddings and birthdays.

The chicken dish is usually served with a dipping dish with pepper-salt and a handful of prawn crackers. Its white meat is very tender while the skin is cooked until it’s crispy. Cooking it in a wok at higher temperature that the Southern Fried Chicken makes the difference in texture. The skin is made more crisp than crunchy.

PHILIPPINES: Adobo

In the Philippines, every household is bound to have someone who can cook Adobo. Simply put, Adobo is chicken stewed in soy sauce and vinegar. While each region in the Philippines has its own spin on the famous dish, there’s no doubt it is a unifying factor for all Filipinos

Adobo is such an important national dish that Filipinos who have immigrated to other countries still crave for it. Whether it’s stewed in soy sauce, green mango or coconut milk, Adobo will still be Adobo for a Filipino.

Filed Under: Chicken Tagged With: Adobo, chicken, chinese crispy fried chicken, southern fried chicken, worldwide cuisine

Chicken Adobo

January 9, 2012 By Delia

One of the Philippines’ culinary treasures, adobo basically refers to the cooking process that involves marinating and stewing pork or chicken (sometimes combining both) in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and pepper. The name comes from the Spanish word for “marinade” or sauce, the main thing that gives the dish its rich sour, sweet and salty flavors .  There are many ways of making adobo – some recipes would call for marinating the chicken for at least a day, others would add sugar or coconut milk while there are those that would recommend frying or broiling the chicken before serving with the sauce on top .  But the basic ingredients are always present and the preparation fuss-free.  Here is a simple Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe to try. For a truly satisfying meal, it is best served with steaming white rice.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs of chicken thighs (or a combination of thighs and legs)

1 cup vinegar (white wine, rice or coconut vinegar)

10 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns (or grind them if you prefer)

1/4 cup soy sauce

 In a bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns and chicken. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour. Place the chicken and marinade in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let it simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the sauce and adjust according to your preference. Uncover the pot and continue simmering until the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened and chicken is tender and cooked through. You can remove the bay leaves before serving.

Photo Courtesy of: Arnold Gatilao

Filed Under: Asian Recipes, Chicken Tagged With: Adobo, Chicken Recipe, Chicken Thighs, Filipino dishes

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