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Ingredients
Directions
Tips
Fish sauce is the ultimate umami sauce. Seek out one made with just anchovy, salt and water for the best flavor.
Tips
A tart and floral relative of the kumquat, calamansi is the predominant citrus used in Filipino cooking. Look for the juice bottled or frozen. Lime or lemon juice can be substituted.
Tips
Filipinos' go-to souring agent is tamarind. This tropical tree produces a sour-sweet fruit in a brown pod, with edible pulp. It's often sold in concentrate or pulp form. You can make your own "concentrate" by mixing 1/4 cup pulp and 1 cup hot water in a medium bowl. Let stand for 20 minutes. Break up the paste and mix it with the water with a fork. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing against the solids and scraping the underside of it to collect as much of the pulp as possible. Discard solids.