Philippine condiments

The generic term for condiments in theFilipino cuisineissawsawan(Philippine Spanish:sarsa). Unlike sauces in other Southeast Asian regions, mostsawsawanare not prepared beforehand, but are assembled on the table according to the preferences of the diner.
In the Philippines, the common condiments aside from salt and pepper are vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, andpatis. The combination and different regional variations of these simple sauces make up the various common dipping sauces in the region.
The most common type ofsawsawanis thetoyomansi(ortoyo't kalamansi), which is a mixture ofsoy sauce,calamansi, and nativeSiling labuyo. It can also be seasoned with vinegar andpatis(fish sauce). This sauce is typically served with roasted meat dishes.
A similar dipping sauce used for grilled meats likeinihawistoyo, suka, at sili(literally "soy sauce, vinegar, and chili"). It is made of soy sauce, vinegar, andsiling labuyowith some opting to add diced onions and/or garlic and a seasoning of sugar and/orblack pepper.For serving with grilled fish, it is typically garnished with diced tomatoes,patis(fish sauce), or more rarely,bagoong(fermented shrimp or fish).
The simplest dipping sauce, for example, is vinegar mixed with another ingredient likesiling labuyo(sukang may sili), garlic (suka't bawang), soy sauce (sukang may toyo), and so on. This can be elaborated further by adding a range of spices and even fruits, resulting in dipping sauces likesinamak(spiced vinegar).Suka Pinakuratis a popular brand of spiced vinegar in the Philippines.
All of these do not have set recipes, however, and can use ingredients and proportions interchangeably according to what is available and to the preference of the diner.
Other notable ingredients added to these kinds ofsawsawanincludeshallots, wholeblack peppercorns, sugar,siling haba,wansoy(cilantro), ginger, and so on.Sawsawanare also unique in that they can function asmarinades.
Some sauces need to be prepared beforehand like the traditional Filipinosweet and sour sauceagre dulce(oragri dulci) which is made fromcornstarch, salt, sugar, and tomato or banana ketchup. When made with hot peppers likesiling labuyo, it becomes asweet chili sauce. It is the traditional dipping sauces of fried dishes likelumpiaorokoy.A similar sauce used for fried street food appetizers is known simply as "manong's sauce". It is made with flour or cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, chilis, ground pepper, andmuscovadoorbrown sugar.
Another spicy condiment used for street food is the "chili garlic sauce" made from minced chilis, especiallysiling labuyo, and fried garlic. Some add powdered dried shrimp or finely minced meat to the sauce. It is usually consumed withsiomaias a sauce made with soy sauce and typically spritzed withcalamansi.
Among theMaranao people, another notable condiment is thepalapa, a very spicy condiment made fromsakurab(native scallions), ginger,turmeric, and chilis. It is an ubiquitous accompaniment to Maranao meals.
For seafood dishes, another common condiment istaba ng talangka(also calledaligue, "roe", colloquially). This is a savory paste derived from crab roe or fat preserved in garlic and oil, with other ingredients like calamansi, vinegar, and others. It is typically sauteed and eaten as is with rice, with shellfish or over friedgarlic rice.
The following is a list ofcondimentsused inFilipino cuisine.