Classic Filipino Pork Adobo

First, let's get the adobo started. Grab a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once it's shimmering, carefully add your cubed pork belly. You might need to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. The goal is to get a beautiful, golden-brown sear on all sides of the pork, which will take about 5-7 minutes per batch. Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a plate and set it aside.

Turn the heat down to medium. In the same pot, using all that delicious rendered pork fat, add your sliced onion and the 9 grated garlic cloves. Sauté them for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, fragrant, and the onions look translucent.

Now for the signature adobo flavor! Pour in the vinegar, dark soy sauce, and fish sauce. Add the dark brown sugar, the 4 dried bay leaves, and a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything together, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot - that's pure flavor!

Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices back into the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it cook slowly for 1.5 to 2 hours. The pork is ready when it's incredibly tender and practically falling apart. Give it a stir every 20-30 minutes to make sure nothing is sticking.

Once the pork is tender, it's time to create that glossy, sticky sauce. Uncover the pot, increase the heat to a medium simmer, and let the sauce reduce for about 15-20 minutes. You want it to thicken up nicely and coat the back of a spoon. Keep an eye on it and give it a stir now and then.

While the sauce is reducing, let's make the perfect rice. Rinse your jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and makes the rice fluffier. Add the rinsed rice to your rice cooker or a medium saucepan. Add the cooking water (use the ratio recommended on your rice package, usually around 1.5 cups water per 1 cup rice). Now, add the pandan leaf, the 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 bay leaf, and the cracked black pepper. Give it a quick stir, then cook according to your usual rice method.

To serve, remove the bay leaves and pandan leaf from the rice and fluff it with a fork. Spoon a generous portion of the fluffy rice onto each plate and top with the sticky, glistening pork adobo. Make sure everyone gets plenty of that incredible sauce!