Octopus adobo requires patience. You need to cook it longer or use pressure to tenderize the meat. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a rubbery meal.

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with watching documentaries involving animals, specifically those in the wild.

Among the Youtube channels, my favorite is Deep Look, which highlights the unseen footages of Mother Nature in short clips. The clips are less than 5-minute long but can tackle some amazing things in the life of a creature.

One episode of Deep Look that sent chills to my blood is the revelation that octopus’ suckers, which are located in the tentacles, have minds of their own. They can’t just feel, they can smell and taste as well.

The octopus, which is considered as one of the most intelligent creatures on the animal kingdom, uses their suction cups not just to move around but to also gather information around them. These cups can move in any direction and perform separate activities to one another. They can do it because 66% of the animal’s neurons are located around that area.

Octopus is also my favorite meal. I want it cooked the Filipino way — adobo.

Where to Buy Octopus?

Unlike squid and shrimp, Octopuses don’t come on a regular basis in local markets because they are hard to catch. The octopus I used for this recipe actually came from a local fisherman who offered us his catch when we were having a vacation in Magalawa Islands.

You can buy octopuses in huge seafood places like Farmer’s market. However, they are limited.

Here is my Octopus Adobo Recipe:

Ingredients for Octopus Adobo:

  • 3/4 kilo octopus, clean thoroughly and slice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bulb onion, chopped
  • 2 thumb-size ginger, sliced
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • Oil
  • Pepper to taste

Procedure:

  1. Make the octopus flesh tender by using a pressure cooker (1 cup water). Set aside.
  2. Saute garlic, onion, and ginger.
  3. Add the octopus and let it simmer.
  4. Add water, vinegar, and soy sauce. Put into boil.
  5. Add sugar and pepper. Put into boil until the sauce thickens.
  6. Serve and enjoy.

Notes:

  • You can use a brand new scouring pad to thoroughly clean the octopus. It will remove
  • Make sure that your octopus adobo is soft. Otherwise, you are like chewing rubber.
  • I didn’t put time in tenderizing the octopus flesh because this will depend on the burner and your pressure cooker. Estimation is the key.
  • There are instances that the water will drain out while tenderizing the octopus flesh. When the pressure cooker silenced, that means you need to check it. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a burnt octopus.
  • You can also peel off the skin.Refrence: https://foodcitations.com/octopus-adobo-recipe/