Step 1

Press your tofu to remove excess water. Slice into cubes or shape of your choice.

Step 2

Heat a large non-stick pan or skillet. Add a generous amount of oil. Pan-fry or deep fry the tofu in neutral oil until golden brown and crisp on all sides.

Step 3

Move the tofu to the side of the pan. If you want to lessen the oil, feel free to remove some from the pan. But be generous with the oil since adobo is traditionally quite fatty in the sauce from the cooked down meat (especially if using pork belly).

Step 4

Add in the onions, garlic, and whole pepper corns. Leave the garlic and onions to cook until tender, around 3-4 minuets.

Step 5

Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetable broth. Mix well and leave to simmer over medium heat until it comes to a boil.

Step 6

Add in sugar and dark soy sauce, if using. Taste the sauce and feel free to adjust to your taste. You can add more soy sauce for saltiness, vinegar for more acidity, or sugar for a hint more sweetness. This is really depending on your desired taste. I love a nice kick of acidity for my adobo that’s greatly balanced with some sugar.

Step 7

Leave the tofu to cook in the sauce for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce has reduced. The longer the tofu sits in the sauce the tastier it gets because tofu absorbs the sauce really well (like a sponge!)

Step 8

Serve and enjoy your adobo with some Sinangag (Fried Garlic Rice) –homemade recipe here or plain rice. Enjoy!