Filipino chicken adobo in vinegar and soy sauce (Adobong manok)

1. Cut the chicken legs in two at the joint and mix in a pan with the soy sauce, half the crushed garlic, the bay leaves and the coarsely crushed pepper; marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Add the water to the chicken and marinade, bring to the boil, then pour in the vinegar – do NOT stir for 2-3 minutes so the sharpness of the vinegar can cook off.

3. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until the meat is tender.

4. Lift out the chicken pieces, boil the sauce hard until reduced by half and season with the sugar.

5. In a frying pan fry the rest of the garlic, roughly chopped, in the oil until golden, then brown the chicken pieces in it on all sides.

6. Return the chicken to the reduced sauce, turn to coat and serve with plenty of rice, sprinkled with the fried garlic.

Tip: The Philippines' unofficial national dish: tangy, salty and garlicky, and it keeps for days – it was originally cooked in vinegar precisely to preserve it. Every family has its own version; with coconut milk (adobo sa gata) it's even creamier.