May 14, 2026 · fermented
Introducing: Filipino Kakanin & Adobo
Six dishes from a vinegar-forward, coconut-bright tradition with no refined sugar
We just opened the Filipino Kakanin & Adobo cuisine on the site. Tagalog and Visayan home cooking is one of the most underrated traditions on earth — and the most useful from a longevity angle because vinegar is the through-line flavor, not sugar. Adobo (vinegar + soy + garlic + bay + peppercorns) is the national braise. Kinilaw (vinegar-cured raw fish) is the national starter. Coconut vinegar, cane vinegar, palm vinegar — fermented acids do the heavy lifting.
The traditional sweets — kakanin, the rice-coconut sweets — get most of their sugar from whole palm sap and ripe banana, not refined cane. Six dishes that show the architecture.
In this issue
47g proteinAdobong Manok (Farm-Fresh Chicken Adobo)
Classic Filipino adobo reimagined with pasture-raised chicken and coconut vinegar for a savory, tangy depth. This version eliminates refined sugar and seed oils while amplifying the garlic and chili notes for a nutrient-dense dinner.
Golden Turmeric Bibingka with Lemongrass & Wild-Caught Salmon
A savory, fiber-rich rice cake infused with turmeric and lemongrass, traditionally steamed in banana leaves but here baked to a golden finish. Topped with flaky wild-caught salmon and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, this dish transforms the sweet holiday kakanin into a nutrient-dense, polyphenol-packed dinner that honors the earthy roots of Filipino cuisine.
33g proteinSavory-Sweet Biko Bowl with Adobo-Style Wild Salmon
A longevity-focused adaptation of the classic Filipino sticky rice cake, served as a savory-sweet dinner centerpiece with omega-3 rich wild salmon. The caramelized date syrup provides the deep molasses notes of traditional muscovado without refined sugar, while coconut oil supports ketone production for sustained energy.
26g proteinKinunung: Savory Fermented Fish Rice Cake & Adobo Glaze
A modern interpretation of Filipino kakanin and adobo traditions featuring a steamed savory rice cake infused with fermented fish paste. It is served with pan-seared wild-caught fish in a vinegar-garlic brine, delivering deep umami without refined sugar or seed oils.
Savory Puto Buhangin with Soft-Boiled Egg and Aged Vinegar Emulsion
This savory reinterpretation of the classic Filipino rice cake strips away the traditional sugar and seed oils to create a nutrient-dense, polyphenol-rich dinner. The steamed rice cakes, made from pure heirloom rice flour and coconut milk, are topped with a perfectly soft-boiled pasture-raised egg and a bright, fermented soy-vinegar emulsion rich in probiotics and antioxidants.
Steamed Purple Rice Cakes with Ube & Grass-Fed Ghee
These vibrant purple rice cakes are steamed to perfection using heirloom purple glutinous rice and real ube extract, replacing the traditional refined sugar and margarine with whole dates and nutrient-dense grass-fed ghee. The result is a tender, naturally sweet breakfast that honors the Filipino tradition of Kakanin while prioritizing gut health and stable blood sugar.
Coconut vinegar (Datu Puti or Silver Swan) is the unlock ingredient. Once you have it, the entire Filipino flavor lattice falls open.