Google Doodle celebrates an iconic Filipino dish — here’s why (2024)

It's super savory, umami-packed, vinegary, garlicky, sour, slightly sweet, sometimes a little spicy and always comforting — everything you could want in a dinner, especially one that's easy to make and requires little cleanup — but why is Filipino adobo today's Google Doodle?

Well, according to Google, "The word 'adobo' was first added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in December 2006, and was included on the word list of the next OED quarterly update, released on this day (March 15) in 2007."

Google Doodle celebrates an iconic Filipino dish — here’s why (1)

Adobo means "vinegar-braised" in English, and is derived from the Spanish word"adobar," which means "to pickle" or "to marinade." The name was given to the dish by colonial-era Spaniards in the Philippines, though the adobo cooking method that's native to Spanish and Portuguese cuisine has little to do with that of the Philippines, other than that it involves cooking food in a vinegar-based sauce. In Mexico, adobo refers to a smoky, chile-based sauce, whereas in Puerto Rico, it refers to a seasoned salt that's rubbed onto meats and seafood. Many other countries have their own take on the cooking method.

In the Philippines, adobo is considered the unofficial national dish, taking many forms across the country, but the base ingredients for the stew are typically the same: vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves, along with some kind of marinated meat or vegetables. Some regions leave out the soy sauce, while others add in coconut milk for creaminess. Some prefer to add chicken or pork, while others use seafood like squid, or vegetables like water spinach or green beans.

"After evolving throughout the centuries, this iconic dish is now enjoyed worldwide," Google wrote in its explanation of the Doodle, which was illustrated by artist Anthony Irwin. "It’s a symbol and expression of Filipino pride that varies from region to region, family to family, palate to palate."

"While lumpia Shanghai may have been the first Filipino food that my mother served me, chicken adobo was the first Filipino dish that she taught me how to cook," says Filipino American chef Leah Cohen. Aside from the staple ingredients, she adds in coconut milk, onions and sugar "to really amplify the flavor" in her version of the dish.

"While working in other kitchens over the years, this has always been my go-to staff meal," she continues. "It is easy to make, and while it braises away in the oven, I can get my prep done. Most importantly, the staff always loves it. Now I make it for my son, Carter G. It is one of his most loved dishes."

Nathan Congleton / TODAY

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Chicken Adobo

Billy Dec

Filipino American chef Bill Dec also puts chicken in his recipe, but leaves out the coconut milk, instead using two types of vinegar: coconut and rice wine.

"The combination of brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce make this chicken sweet, sour, and savory all at once," he says. "A true flavor sensation!"

Courtesy Katie Stilo

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Pork Adobo

Jordan Andino

On the other hand, Filipino American chef Jordan Andino's take on the dish involves shredded pork butt, oyster sauce and Sriracha for a little kick.

"(Adobo) is something I adore and have always loved eating and making. Simplistic and cheap, yet incredibly delicious, this dish gets better as the days go by and can be repurposed in so many different ways for all your make-ahead dinner plans," he says.

Dec, for example, uses his adobo leftovers in fried rice and corn fritters.

For TODAY.com's senior health editor, Maura Hohman, who is Filipino American, adobo is also a deeply personal dish.

"My mother spent my childhood trying to re-create the recipe for her lola’s adobo. She experimented with chicken breast and thigh, seemingly every type of vinegar, different ratios of soy sauce to peppercorns, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she felt she’d finally done it," she says.

"For years, the email with the recipe has sat in my Gmail folder, and I search for it every time I’m craving my favorite flavor combo — addictive saltiness, red wine vinegar cutting through and a pop of succulent and aromatic peppercorn. The sauce becomes slightly viscous as you simmer it so it clings to the chicken but still flows over the rice, getting absorbed by every grain.

"My own twist? A runny fried egg because the adobo’s tartness begs for it, in my opinion. 'You like adobo?' is the subject line of that email, an inside family joke from when two Filipino strangers asked my brother that very question upon finding out his mother’s ethnicity. Of course, I do, and everyone else should, too."

Emi Boscamp

Emi Boscamp is the senior food editor at TODAY. She was born without a sweet tooth, but in its place she has an umami tooth. She is an anchovy stan (aka stanchovy). Follow her food adventures on Instagram.

Google Doodle celebrates an iconic Filipino dish — here’s why (2024)

FAQs

What is the Filipino food on Google Doodle? ›

Why did Google choose to honor Filipino adobo today? Google's Doodle is in honor of the beloved dish making its way into the Oxford English Dictionary on March 15, 2007. The illustration was made by Anthony Irwin, a designer on Google's Doodle team. On his Instagram page, Irwin wrote of the experience.

Why is Google celebrating Filipino adobo? ›

It's a symbol and expression of Filipino pride that varies from region to region, family to family, palate to palate. “The history is rich, the taste is unmatched, and the aromas are enticing – the children in today's artwork would definitely agree!

What does it mean to say that adobo is a Filipino native dish? ›

The cooking method for the Philippine adobo is indigenous to the Philippines. The various precolonial peoples of the Philippine archipelago often cooked or prepared their food with vinegar and salt in various techniques to preserve them in the tropical climate.

What is the Philippines' national food? ›

Main dishes. Adobo is one of the most popular Filipino dishes and is considered unofficially by many as the national dish.

Why is Google celebrating pizza? ›

Why are we celebrating pizza on Dec. 6? On the same day in 2017, the culinary art of Neapolitan “Pizzaiuolo” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In other words, pizza became a cultural touchstone of the human race.

What is the Boba Google Doodle for? ›

Google, on January 29, unveiled an interactive game on its homepage today which challenges users to make the perfect cup of bubble tea, as requested by “a crew of familiar Doodle characters.” Also known as boba tea or pearl milk tea, the drink from Taiwan has grown in popularity beyond its country of origin, to even ...

Is adobo Mexican or Filipino? ›

Filipino adobo is a stew

In the Philippines, the concept of adobo was around long before the Spanish arrived in 1521. Like the native people of the Iberian Peninsula, indigenous people in the Philippines had long used vinegar and salt to preserve proteins.

What nationality is a Filipino? ›

These writings are also credited with transforming the term Filipino to one which refers to everyone born in the Philippines, especially during the Philippine Revolution and American Colonial Era and the term shifting from a geographic designation to a national one as a citizenship nationality by law.

Why is Filipino adobo so good? ›

There's no doubt that adobo is a mainstay in Philippine cuisine — thanks to its complex flavours rooted from a simple vinegar-braised method, it's one of the most well-known gateway dishes that introduces foreigners to the curious and nuanced world of Filipino food.

Why do Filipinos eat so much rice? ›

Maria, the Spanish colonisers implemented a food quota to stave off hunger. To hasten production of food, they brought agricutural tools like the Southern Chinese plow pulled by a carabao. Rice production increased, and more and more Filipinos began to eat rice on a daily basis for sustenance.

What does Filipino food taste like? ›

What does Filipino food taste like? Filipino food is characterized by the combination of three flavors: sweet, sour, and salty. Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, spices and heat don't figure as prominently in traditional Filipino cuisine. Garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and black pepper are most often used.

Why is Filipino food so special? ›

Meticulous preparation and extended cooking time are also characteristic of most Filipino dishes. The trick is to let each flavor have its way without having to blend producing that mélange of sweet, salty, and tangy tastes. Filipino dishes are not just full of flavor, they are colorful and have an enticing aroma.

Where is Momo in Google Doodle? ›

[SPOILERS] Doodle Champion Island Games - Momo appears as a talking NPC, she can be found in the final side-quest in a whirlpool located at the Archery Section.

What does adobo taste like? ›

What Chicken Adobo tastes like. The glaze of Filipino Chicken Adobo is savoury and sweet with a hint of tang, with a distinct soy flavour. The garlic and onion creates a savoury base along with the bay leaves, and the peppercorns add little subtle pops of heat. Don't be afraid of the peppercorns in this!

Is Momo a boy or girl Google Doodle? ›

Momo is the main character of the Google game series. Momo is the protagonist of the 2016 Game and the 2020 Game, the deuteragonist of the 2017 Film, and a side character in the Champion Island Games. She is a black cat with big yellow eyes and a grey robe.

Is adobo a Filipino food? ›

As in Puerto Rico, adobo is beloved in most Filipino households; it's the unofficial dish of the Philippines, even as it varies by region or household. Most modern-day Filipino adobo is prepared with vinegar and soy sauce. Some families keep it simple with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper.

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