Adobong Sitaw (String Bean Adobo)

Adobong sitaw is one of the many variants of adobo dishes in the Philippines. The main star of the dish are the string beans, which are simmered just enough to soften and to absorb that delicious adobo sauce. It’s quick, simple, and budget-friendly!

What is sitaw?

Sitaw is a Filipino long bean or string bean. It’s one of the most popular vegetables grown in the Philippines due to it’s great demand and high-nutritional value.

It’s super important to cook the sitaw adequately in order to allow it to soften up, and still have a slight firmness and crunch to it. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes of simmering to cook off that raw/bitter taste that these beans have when undercooked.

You can typically find sitaw being sold in most Asian groceries or Filipino supermarkets. They’re sometimes labelled as “Chinese beans”, “yard-long beans”, or “snake beans”.

If you don’t have any luck, I’ve also tried this recipe using French beans and it turned out just fine as well!

Ingredients for adobong sitaw

• ~150 g pork belly, thinly sliced
• ~350 g string beans (sitaw), cut in 4-inch lengths
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar, more or less to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Looking for more EASY and SIMPLE recipes? Here’s a couple more to give a try!:

• Sticky Five-Spice Chicken
• Creamy Gochujang Udon
• Seared Peanut Bok Choy
• Turon (Banana Springrolls)

Instructions for adobong sitaw

Start by frying the pork over medium-heat until browned all over and some of its fat has rendered off.

Add in the onions and garlic. Saute until the onions have softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the string beans, water, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ground black pepper.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5-10 minutes with a lid on. The beans should be tender, with a slight firmness to it when chewed.

*At this point, you can serve the adobong sitaw as is, but if you prefer it to be more on the dry-side, continue to simmer for a couple more minutes until the sauce has reached your desired consistency.

Serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)

Can this be veganized?

Yes! Simply remove the pork belly and the recipe is completely vegan. You can also substitute the meat component with tofu or even any kind of mushroom.

What can I serve adobong sitaw with?

Traditionally, adobong sitaw is typically a side dish that accompanies much heavier main dishes. It can also be eaten with white rice!

What else can I add to it?

While the addition of protein is optional, others love to add extra mix-ins to make it a more complete and filling meal. Some common other options to add to the dish include:

• Shrimp
• Ground pork or beef
• Chicken
• Tofu
• Mushrooms