Lifted from Dose of Disbelief


Did you know that the Philippines’ national dish, adobo, isn’t really Spanish at all? 🍲

While the word adobo comes from the Spanish adobar (“to marinate”), the technique of stewing meat in vinegar and salt was already being practiced by Filipinos long before colonization. This method wasn’t just for flavor—it was a natural way to preserve food in the tropical climate.

Historians also note that Chinese traders influenced its development by introducing soy sauce, which later blended with vinegar to create the adobo we know today. So while Spain gave the dish its name, the recipe is a true Filipino original with deep pre-colonial and Asian roots.


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