Filipino Modern: Beef Adobo Salpicao & Garlic Fried Jasmine Rice

Hawaii is a melting pot of all sorts of food, especially of course, Asian cuisine. Filipino food is not one of the cuisines I am most familiar with or have even cooked before, but I thought these recipes for Beef Adobo Salpicao and Garlic Fried Jasmine Rice in October's Sunset Magazine sounded good.  Filipino food has a strong base in Spanish, Mexican and Malaysian cuisines and is also influenced by Arab, Indian, Japanese, Chinese  and American dishes. Adobo, usually meat cooked in garlic, soy sauce and vinegar, is a popular dish, as is garlic rice, which is often eaten for breakfast.  The chef for these recipes,Tim Luym, from Poeng Lounge in San Francisco, cooks traditional dishes but adds his own modern spin.

Beef Adobo Salpicao

Tim Luym, Sunset Magazine

Serves 4

1 cup thinly-sliced shallots (4-6 large)

1/4 cup each canola oil and olive oil

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-in. chunks

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp coconut vinegar* or 4 tsp cider vinegar

In a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat, cook shallots in oils, stirring often, until deep golden, 7-8 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towels.  


Discard all but 2 tbsp oil from pan.  Increase heat to high.  Add beef to frying pan, cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in garlic and bay leaf.  Turn meat, when second side is brown , stir in pepper, soy sauce and vinegar.  Boil until reduced by half , 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon meat into a bowl and top with shallots.  

*Look for coconut vinegar in the Asian food aisle  of your grocery store or buy it at an Asian market.  

Garlic Fried Jasmine Rice

Tim Luym, Sunset Magazine

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups brown jasmine rice*

1 1/2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp canola oil, divided

1 Tbsp minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse rice thoroughly in a fine strainer under running water, then pour into a medium saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, 15-18 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.  Pour rice into a rimmed baking pan.  Let cool, then chill, uncovered, until firm and dry, at least 2 hours.  Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add rice and heat, stirring gently, until hot, 1-2 minutes.  With a wooden spoon, clear a space in center of pan; pour in 1 tsp oil and stir garlic into oil.  Let garlic sizzle for about 30 seconds, then stir into rice to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

*Find brown jasmine rice alongside other rices at the grocery store.  Make ahead:  Cook rice through step 2 up to 1 day before using; chill, covered.

Notes/Results: My friend, house guest and sous-chef Yoko and I cooked these recipes pretty much as written with the exception of not cooling the rice for the two hours specified.  The brown jasmine rice felt plenty cool and dry enough after about 40 minutes in the refrigerator and cooked up well.  I was able to find the coconut vinegar in an Asian market here, but you could substitute regular cider vinegar as the recipe states.  The flavor of the beef was excellent, savory, peppery, lightly tart from the vinegar.  Both the beef and rice were good and garlicky--no chance of vampire attack here.  We liked the chewy nuttiness of the brown jasmine rice and the crispiness of the scallions in the adobo.  We both would make these recipes again.  Yoko felt that the adobo dish had a lot of flavor for going together so quickly and not having to marinate the beef.  She mentioned she would add a bit more soy sauce and vinegar and maybe some mushrooms as well when she makes it. Served with Tyler's chickpeas and a salad made of local organic greens, it was a hearty, delicious meal, perfect after a long day at the North Shore.