I’m Allergic to Fats

Family dinners, going out with relatives, even to events, I refused to eat the fatty meat of the adobo, telling them that I’m allergic to “taba”. I despise when the hair of the animals is left on the fat. As if I’m eating sandpaper – scratching my tongue to cause pain that sets off every part of the Digestive system. Yet making sure to swallow it – feeling the hair scratch your throat. Those memories were hard to swallow. I was always prompted to eat either the chicken or the beef version of adobo.

Things changed as the pandemic hit, and everyone was trying to learn new things: from learning easy to complicated dance moves, improving drawing consistency, to finding new hobbies — such as designing and personalizing journals, to the most fun and creative cosplay garments and skits that would make teenage in puberty laugh hysterically. I was envious, obviously. I wanted to learn something classic, something practical – techniques that are beneficial to my future. Due to the calamity we were experiencing that time, and the infinite time we had, I wanted to cook. I requested my mother to teach me how to cook, as her usual recipes are my favorite — favorite from the moment your eyes lock into it, the type of food you would be continually satisfied with. Her food is always prepared and cooked with care, precision, and love. Not because she’s just my Mom – knowing her all my life, but she’s a Mom that strives for a perfect tomorrow for everyone she cooks for. She recommended cooking adobo, as it’s a classic “kanin-ulam” combo, and it’s an easy-to-cook meal, especially when cooking with pork. Knowing my dislikes with pork, she recommends the best part to cook with is “kasim”. 

Obviously, I didn’t know what “kasim” was at first. Searching it up, it says: a cut from the thicker section of the pig's shoulder. Little did I know that a part of pork would change a feeling of comfort in my cooking. A recipe for us – a comfort to the children who yearns for comfort

Apparently, it was my Mom’s favorite part too, which is why she has a stock of “pork kasim” lying in the freezer. Asking me to thaw it out, then I prepare the usual ingredients: minced onion and garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaves. Surprisingly she requested to peel potatoes, and open a can of pineapple chunks and button mushrooms. Adding those ingredients peeked my interest as it diverts to non-traditional, and modern take on a classic Filipino cuisine.

Cooking alongside her made me feel safe and pressured at the same time, as I know her tender love for us is immeasurable however – her strive for cleanliness and perfection is what worries me working with her. Making mistakes at first is normal, she is the type of person that critics with love, making sure to never repeat the same mistake again, especially cooking a meal for the whole family. 

In her modern take of cooking Adobo, her words guided my body and mind to cook as if I was her. As the pan sizzles with oil, the peeled and chopped potato takes a dip, then seared— the smoky aroma fills the kitchen, wrapping me in the same comfort I’ve always felt at home.

Browning to perfection, remove the veggies then – in goes the meat. The pork should be cooked to a desired texture; cook to a not so tender consistency, avoiding the risk of overcooking or ruining the meat — as the meat will have its second-round cooking later on. In the same pan, sauté the garnishes of onion and garlic, until the smell lingers. Add the cooked kasim, and include bay-leaves, peppers, cooked mushrooms and potatoes, then stir. Let all of the garnishes and herbs coat the meat for a while. After all is well, eyeball the condiments of soy sauce and vinegar — blend to taste, and cover. Let the meat concentrate and absorb all the ingredients to tenderize. Finally, add the sweet pineapple chunks, minutes before finishing cooking.

The perfect cooking of meat is the first bite: cooked fresh, hot steaming in your mouth, with the first bite feeling the  soft texture, the tongue enjoying the moist and palatable texture, juices coming out like there is no tomorrow. Enjoy it with the sweet and savory aroma of the pineapple chunks, the bouncing and popping texture of mushroom, and the comfort of semi-crisp potatoes. And finally, pairing it with a staple food —- hot steaming white rice. 

After a while, I was obsessed with cooking, trying new recipes, and innovating adobo was a main goal of mine, making sure new versions can be cooked precisely with new ways and new ingredients to the palate. Many versions of adobo have I tried to cook, such as Adobong Puti, Adobong Atsuete, and one of my faves, Chinese-style Spicy Adobo. Each one is a perfect pair with rice, and a hard-boiled egg can be added to your heart’s content.

You may ask if I ever question those ingredients – yes, I did at first. But, as time flew by, the answer was already obvious — I’m “allergic” to fats. My mom was just innovative and found ways to make sure that no food was wasted, my brother is the same too, “allergic” to fats, allegedly. Incorporating ingredients and transforming it to a modern take is a chef’s kiss to my Mom’s mind – a Virgo by heart truly; perfection through and through. 

As much as I lied about having an allergy to fats, I never knew that there would be a day I would enjoy it. Sharing my cooking with others is my deepest love and contribution to my life. 

Hopefully, one day, I can go back to my kitchen and cook an enjoyable adobo with white rice and hard-boiled eggs on the side.