INADOBO SA TUBA on WHAT'S COOKING WITH AHA

Here's an earlier webisode produced by Inquirer.net's video duo Cathy Miranda and Izah Morales.  The winsome Chef Sarah of AHA, who gave me my first toque and apron ever,  worked with me. The audio of her intro, though seems problematic.

I heard this video has had high viewership and it makes me giddy that something has come out of my blogging efforts. So, forgive me this shameless series of What's Cooking in AHA webisode plugs.

The recipe is flashed during the video but you can also check it out here.

As for finding vinegar made from tuba, the only commercially available brand I know is Sler's from Cagayan de Oro. They makes one of the fattest, saltiest, crispiest chicharon (pork rinds) on the face of the earth. My good friends Ross and Ge introduced me to it (Bless them!). I am drooling writing about it now.

Let me just wipe the drool off and get back to the sukang tuba.

On one of my last business trips to Cagayan de Oro, while doing the requisite market checks (that's malling in pedestrian parlance), I chanced upon a Sler's booth in the Gaisano mall and bought me  a boxful of the chicharon and several of the 500 ml and 1 liter bottles.  I packed those in my check-in suitcase on the way back to Manila and did not get into any kind of trouble at the airport.

I made adobo with it the first chance I got, using the only chicken parts that were available at that time, chicken lollipops. It was a hit with A.! When I tried to do it with other chicken parts, the inasal-like taste of the tuba did not seep through the poultry meat.

As my sukang tuba stock dwindled to a rop and a half, I tried to find it in many of Manila's supermarkets, wet markets and weekend markets. So far I have been unsuccessful.

So if you know anyone coming in from down south (and I don't mean Australia) have them buy you a gallon from the local wet market.

Do keep in mind that the tuba in the wet market is not commercially produced, the level of acidity may vary unless you keep getting from the same maker. This may affect how long you can  reduce the adobo sauce.

Enough of me writing, let's get cooking!