The DTI said that the committee was mainly referring to Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine written by noted chef Glenda Rosales Barreto for their guide on how to prepare and cook Filipino dishes.

The DTI said the committee would first standardise the cooking technique of adobo, one of the most popular and widely enjoyed Filipino dishes. It aims at determining the “common denominator among all the known ways of cooking it” to help “preserve the country’s cultural identity despite the many variations,” i.e. to standardize the cooking process.

Nationwide standards for preparing Adobo first

Adobo is prepared and served in different ways, depending on which region it originates from. Ingredients range from chicken, pork, soy sauce, vinegar, laurel leaves, black pepper to coconut milk, annatto, sugar, and many others while cooking methods include braising, stewing, boiling, and more.

The DTI said the draft Philippine national standards on adobo “will be circulated nationwide, once available, for review and comments of concerned stakeholders.” Once the standards of adobo are set, the committee will proceed to sinigang (sour soup), lechon (roasted pork) and sisig (boiled pork parts with liver and spices).