Move over Adobo. A friend recently asked me if Chicken Inasal is the national food of the Philippines. Can’t blame him.In just less than a year, there is a massive surge of Inasal restaurants in Dubai that in one location, at least 2 outlets exist. In Deira alone, there are about 5 of them. They spread much quicker than how Jollibee, a Filipino food icon, opened their branches here in UAE.
Some local food chains like Taza added ‘Inasal’ to their menu just to keep up with the Filipino market.
To this day, Inasal is one of the most well-loved grilled chicken dishes in the Philippines. Known to have originated from Bacolod, a good Chicken Inasal recipe makes use of native vinegar, calamansi (Philippine lemon), ginger, lemongrass, and brown sugar, among others, for its unique marinade. It is then grilled over coal while basted with spice-infused annato oil. You might say it’s just another chicken barbecue, but Inasal’s unique smoky aroma and a blend of herbs is an entirely different flavor.
With its global surge, no doubt Inasal joins Adobo on top of the list of signature dishes of the Philippines.
