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Adobong sitaw (Filipino long beans in vinegar and soy)
Long beans braised briefly in garlicky vinegar, soy sauce and black pepper
Adobong sitaw takes the Philippines' best-known cooking method, adobo, and applies it to long beans: a quick, thrifty dinner in homes across Luzon and the Visayas, eaten with rice and often a fried egg on top. The beans soak up a sharp, savoury, peppery sauce of cane vinegar, soy sauce and plenty of garlic, and stay just tender. Many families add pork; this version keeps it vegan. The classic mistake is stirring the pan straight after the vinegar goes in; Filipino cooks let it boil untouched for a minute first, so the raw, harsh edge cooks off. Chef's tip: lightly crush the peppercorns rather than using ground pepper; you get little bursts of heat in each bite.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 14 oz long beans (sitaw)cut into 5 cm lengths
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garliccrushed and chopped
- 1 onionsliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp black peppercornslightly crushed
- 1 tsp sugar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Fry 6 cloves garlic for 1–2 minutes, until golden, then add 1 onion and cook for 2 minutes, until soft.
4 minStep 2: Add 14 oz long beans (sitaw) and toss for 2 minutes, until they turn bright green and glossy.
2 minStep 3: Pour in 4 tbsp cane vinegar or white vinegar and let it bubble for 1 minute without stirring, until the sharp smell softens.
1 minStep 4: Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, ½ cup water, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp sugar. Stir, cover and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape and the sauce has reduced by about half. Take the lid off for the last minute if it is still thin.
5 minStep 5: Remove the bay leaves and serve with rice, spooning the sauce over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does adobong sitaw (Filipino long beans in vinegar and soy) take?
- About 18 minutes in total: 6 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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