Filipino Ingredient Glossary A-Z
A complete reference for the building blocks of Filipino cooking
Filipino cooking relies on a handful of core ingredients that appear across hundreds of dishes, from the vinegar-soy backbone of adobo to the coconut cream richness of Bicol Express. Knowing what these ingredients are, what they taste like, and how to substitute them when your local grocery store falls short is half the battle of cooking Filipino food outside the Philippines.
This glossary covers 45+ ingredients organized alphabetically. Each entry includes the English name, the Tagalog or Filipino name (where applicable), a short description, a list of common dishes that use the ingredient, and substitute options for when you can't find the real thing. Bookmark this page -- you'll come back to it often.
A
Achuete (Annatto Seeds)
Tagalog: Achuete / Atsuete
Small, brick-red seeds from the achiote tree that serve as a natural food coloring. Filipinos steep them in hot oil to create achuete oil, which gives dishes their characteristic golden-orange hue. The seeds themselves have almost no flavor -- they're used purely for color. You'll sometimes find achuete in powdered form, which dissolves more easily than whole seeds.
Alamang (Salted Shrimp)
Tagalog: Alamang
Tiny shrimp preserved in salt, used as a condiment or cooking ingredient. Alamang differs from bagoong in that it retains the whole shrimp shape rather than being ground into a paste. It's typically sauteed with garlic, onion, and tomato to make ginisang alamang, which gets served alongside fried fish or used as a topping for rice. The salt level is intense, so a little goes a long way.
Atchara (Pickled Papaya)
Tagalog: Atchara
A sweet-and-sour pickle made from shredded green papaya, vinegar, sugar, and sometimes carrots, bell peppers, raisins, and ginger. While technically a condiment rather than a raw ingredient, atchara is so fundamental to Filipino meals that it earns a place here. It cuts through the greasiness of fried dishes and refreshes the palate between bites of rich food.
B
Bagoong (Shrimp Paste)
Tagalog: Bagoong Alamang
Fermented shrimp paste with a pungent, salty, deeply savory flavor that anchors many Filipino dishes. The paste ranges from pink to dark purple depending on how long it has been aged. Fresh bagoong is milder; aged bagoong has a stronger, more complex funk. It shows up both as a cooking ingredient and as a table condiment -- particularly paired with sliced green mango, which is one of the great snack combinations in the world.
Baguio Beans (String Beans)
Tagalog: Sitaw / Baguio Beans
Long, thin green beans named after the highland city of Baguio where they grow abundantly in the cool climate. Filipino sitaw can grow up to a foot long and have a slightly chewier texture than Western green beans. They're cut into 2-inch pieces for most recipes and cook quickly in stir-fries and stews. When fresh, they snap cleanly. Avoid any that are limp or yellowing.
Banana Blossom (Puso ng Saging)
Tagalog: Puso ng Saging
The large, teardrop-shaped flower bud that hangs from banana trees. Each blossom contains layers of dark purple petals that peel away to reveal pale, tender inner florets. The florets are the edible part -- they taste mildly bitter and slightly starchy, comparable to artichoke hearts. They need to be soaked in acidulated water (water + vinegar or lemon juice) immediately after cutting to prevent browning.
Banana Leaves (Dahon ng Saging)
Tagalog: Dahon ng Saging
Large, flexible leaves used as wrappers, cooking vessels, and serving platters in Filipino cuisine. They don't contribute much flavor on their own, but when heated they release a subtle grassy, slightly sweet aroma that infuses the food wrapped inside. Banana leaves also keep food moist during grilling and steaming. You can find them frozen in Asian grocery stores -- thaw and wipe clean before using.
Bay Leaves (Laurel)
Tagalog: Dahon ng Laurel
Dried aromatic leaves that show up in nearly every braised or stewed Filipino dish. Filipino bay leaves are typically the dried leaves of Laurus nobilis, the same variety used in European cooking. They add a subtle, slightly floral depth that you'd miss if they weren't there. Always remove bay leaves before serving because they stay tough even after long cooking and can be a choking hazard.
C
Calamansi (Philippine Lime)
Tagalog: Calamansi / Kalamansi
A small, round citrus fruit about the size of a large marble. Green when unripe (how Filipinos prefer it), orange when fully ripe. The juice is sour, lightly sweet, and floral -- sharper than lime but less harsh than lemon. It's squeezed into sawsawan, spritzed over noodles, mixed into marinades, and turned into a refreshing cold drink. No Filipino kitchen is complete without a bag of calamansi in the crisper drawer. Read our full calamansi guide for detailed information.
Coconut Cream / Coconut Milk (Gata)
Tagalog: Gata (milk) / Kakang Gata (cream)
The liquid extracted from grated mature coconut meat. The first pressing yields thick coconut cream (kakang gata); subsequent pressings with water produce thinner coconut milk (gata). This distinction matters in Filipino cooking because recipes often call for adding the thin milk early in cooking and stirring in the cream at the end for richness. Our coconut milk guide covers this topic thoroughly. Canned coconut milk works for convenience, but fresh gata has a sweetness and depth that canned versions can't fully replicate.
Coconut Vinegar (Sukang Tuba)
Tagalog: Sukang Tuba
Vinegar made from fermented coconut sap (tuba). It has a mild, slightly sweet acidity that's less sharp than distilled white vinegar. The color ranges from cloudy white to pale amber. Sukang tuba is the traditional vinegar in many Visayan and Bicolano dishes and is the preferred choice for chicken inasal marinades. Some versions are aged longer and develop a richer, almost wine-like quality.
D
Dayap (Key Lime)
Tagalog: Dayap
A small, intensely aromatic lime used less frequently than calamansi but valued for its stronger citrus punch. Dayap has a thinner skin than regular limes and a sharper, more perfumed juice. It shows up in Visayan cooking more than in Tagalog recipes. The leaves are also used -- they can be bruised and added to soups or stews for a fragrant, lime-leaf aroma similar to kaffir lime leaves in Thai cooking.
E
Eggplant (Talong)
Tagalog: Talong
Filipino eggplant is long, slender, and purple -- different from the bulbous Italian globe eggplant. It has fewer seeds and a thinner skin, which means it cooks faster and has a creamier texture when grilled or roasted. The classic preparation is tortang talong (eggplant omelette), where the whole eggplant is charred over an open flame, peeled, flattened, dipped in egg, and pan-fried. That smoky, creamy result is hard to achieve with other eggplant varieties.
F
Fish Sauce (Patis)
Tagalog: Patis
A clear, amber-brown liquid made from fermented fish and salt. Patis is one of the three pillars of Filipino seasoning alongside soy sauce and vinegar. It smells strong straight from the bottle, but in cooking it transforms into a salty, deeply savory undertone that lifts everything it touches. Filipinos use it the way Western cooks use salt -- to season soups, stir-fries, and marinades from start to finish. We wrote an entire patis guide if you want the full story.
G
Garlic (Bawang)
Tagalog: Bawang
Filipino garlic cloves tend to be smaller and more pungent than what you'll find in most US supermarkets. Nearly every Filipino savory dish starts with garlic hitting hot oil -- the sizzle and aroma is the unofficial starting bell for dinner. Native Filipino garlic has a thinner skin and a sharper bite compared to the larger Chinese garlic commonly sold abroad. If your recipe says "3 cloves garlic," a Filipino cook probably means small native cloves, so you might want to use 4-5 larger ones.
Ginger (Luya)
Tagalog: Luya
A knobby rhizome with warm, spicy, slightly peppery flavor. Filipino cooks use ginger in two main ways: sliced into coins for soups (where it flavors the broth) or minced and sauteed as an aromatic base. Ginger is considered a "warming" ingredient in Filipino home remedies -- salabat (ginger tea) is the default drink when someone has a cold or a sore throat. When buying, choose firm pieces with smooth, taut skin. Wrinkled ginger is old and fibrous.
Green Mango (Manggang Hilaw)
Tagalog: Manggang Hilaw
Unripe mango -- firm, tart, and sour, nothing like the sweet ripe fruit. Filipinos eat green mango as a snack dipped in bagoong or salt, and use it as a souring agent in some sinigang recipes. The tartness is clean and bright, different from the fermented sourness of vinegar or tamarind. Sliced green mango also shows up in salads and as a garnish for grilled dishes.
H
Hot Chili Peppers (Siling Labuyo)
Tagalog: Siling Labuyo
The native Filipino chili -- small, pointed, and ferociously hot. Siling labuyo ranks roughly 80,000-100,000 on the Scoville scale, making it comparable to bird's eye chilis. Despite the heat potential, many Filipino dishes are surprisingly mild; the chili is used sparingly or served on the side as a condiment. A single siling labuyo added to a pot of sinigang gives just enough warmth without overwhelming the sour broth.
K
Kangkong (Water Spinach)
Tagalog: Kangkong
A semi-aquatic leafy green with hollow stems and arrow-shaped leaves. Kangkong is one of the most common vegetables in Filipino cooking because it grows easily, costs almost nothing, and cooks in under a minute. The stems have a pleasant crunch while the leaves are tender and mild. According to the Wikipedia article on water spinach, it's cultivated across Southeast Asia and is one of the most important leafy vegetables in the region.
Kesong Puti (Filipino White Cheese)
Tagalog: Kesong Puti
A soft, fresh white cheese traditionally made from carabao (water buffalo) milk in the provinces of Laguna and Bulacan. It has a mild, slightly salty, lactic flavor -- somewhere between fresh mozzarella and queso fresco. Kesong puti is typically eaten for breakfast alongside pandesal (Filipino bread rolls) or paired with bibingka and puto. Outside the Philippines, it's very difficult to find authentic kesong puti.
L
Lemongrass (Tanglad)
Tagalog: Tanglad
A tall, sturdy grass with a citrusy, slightly gingery aroma. In Filipino cooking, the thick lower stalk is bruised (smacked with the back of a knife) and added whole to soups and stews, where it infuses the liquid with a clean, lemony fragrance. It's removed before serving. Tanglad is also used as a skewer for grilling -- pork or chicken threaded onto a lemongrass stalk picks up extra flavor from the inside out.
Liver Spread
Tagalog: (same -- Liver Spread)
Canned liver pate -- specifically the Filipino brand versions like Reno or Argentina -- that serves as a secret ingredient in several Filipino stews. It melts into the sauce, thickening it while adding a rich, meaty undertone that's hard to replicate any other way. This isn't fancy French pate; it's an inexpensive canned product found in every Filipino pantry.
M
Malunggay (Moringa)
Tagalog: Malunggay / Dahon ng Malunggay
Small, round, dark green leaves plucked from the moringa tree. They taste mildly peppery and earthy, and cook down quickly -- similar to how spinach wilts. Malunggay is commonly added to tinola in the final minutes of cooking. The leaves are also packed with iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, which is why Filipino mothers consider it essential for lactating women and growing children. The FAO's moringa page highlights it as one of the most nutritious plants on earth.
Mung Beans (Monggo)
Tagalog: Monggo / Munggo
Small, green, oval beans that soften into a thick, porridge-like consistency when boiled. Monggo soup is a Friday staple in many Filipino households -- a tradition rooted in Catholic abstinence from meat. The soup is hearty, earthy, and comforting, typically cooked with ampalaya (bitter melon) leaves, shrimp, or tinapa (smoked fish). Dried mung beans keep for months in the pantry and don't require soaking before cooking, though soaking cuts the cooking time in half.
N
Nata de Coco
Tagalog: Nata de Coco
Translucent, chewy cubes made from fermented coconut water. The texture is unique -- firm, jiggly, and slightly rubbery, unlike anything else in the dessert world. Nata de coco is produced through bacterial fermentation of coconut water, which creates a cellulose gel. It's sold in jars, usually packed in sugar syrup or fruit juice. The cubes themselves have almost no flavor; they absorb whatever liquid they sit in. It's a textural ingredient, not a flavor one.
O
Onion (Sibuyas)
Tagalog: Sibuyas
Filipino cooking uses two types of onion regularly: red onion (sibuyas Tagalog) and shallots (sibuyas Bombay). Red onion is the everyday cooking onion, diced and sauteed alongside garlic as the starting point of most savory dishes. Shallots appear more often in sawsawan, salads, and dishes where you want a milder, sweeter onion flavor. The Filipino holy trinity of aromatics -- garlic, onion, and tomato -- forms the flavor base that connects nearly all Filipino savory cooking.
P
Palm Vinegar (Sukang Paombong)
Tagalog: Sukang Paombong
A type of vinegar made from the sap of the nipa palm tree, named after Paombong, Bulacan where it has been produced for generations. It's darker than coconut vinegar, with a richer, more complex flavor profile that includes a slight smokiness. Sukang Paombong is considered a premium vinegar in the Philippines and is the preferred choice for dipping sauces and adobo among serious home cooks in Central Luzon.
Pandan Leaves (Screwpine)
Tagalog: Dahon ng Pandan
Long, flat, blade-like leaves with a sweet, vanilla-like fragrance that's unique in the plant world. Pandan is the "vanilla of Southeast Asia" -- it shows up in rice, desserts, and drinks wherever a natural sweetness is desired. Filipino cooks tie pandan leaves into knots and drop them into the rice cooker, which gives the rice a subtle, pleasant aroma. In desserts, pandan extract or juice adds both flavor and a vivid green color.
Peppercorns (Paminta)
Tagalog: Paminta
Whole black peppercorns are essential in adobo, where they crack open during braising and release their slow, warm heat into the sauce. Filipino cooking generally prefers whole peppercorns over pre-ground pepper because the flavors release differently -- whole peppercorns build heat gradually over a long simmer, while ground pepper gives an immediate but fleeting kick. A good adobo has that slow-burn warmth in the back of your throat from properly simmered peppercorns.
S
Saba Banana (Cooking Banana)
Tagalog: Saging na Saba
A stout, thick-skinned banana variety used for cooking rather than eating raw. Saba bananas are starchier and less sweet than the Cavendish bananas sold in most Western supermarkets. When ripe, their flesh is firm and holds its shape during frying and boiling -- which is why they're the banana of choice for turon (banana spring rolls) and banana cue (caramelized banana on a stick). Unripe saba is added to savory dishes like nilaga and sinigang for a mild starchy sweetness.
Siling Haba (Long Green Chili)
Tagalog: Siling Haba / Siling Pangsigang
A mild, finger-length green chili that's a standard addition to sinigang and other soups. Unlike siling labuyo, siling haba has very little heat. It's used more for its subtle vegetal flavor and the slight warmth it adds to broths. Some Filipino cooks split it lengthwise before dropping it into the pot, which releases a bit more heat from the seeds. Sliced thinly, it also appears as a garnish on noodle dishes.
Soy Sauce (Toyo)
Tagalog: Toyo
The salty, dark liquid that forms the backbone of countless Filipino dishes. Filipino soy sauce (marketed under brands like Silver Swan and Datu Puti) tends to be saltier and less sweet than Japanese soy sauce, with a more straightforward flavor. It works both as a cooking ingredient -- the base of adobo, for example -- and as a table condiment, mixed with calamansi and chili for an all-purpose sawsawan. For more on building a well-stocked Filipino pantry, check our essentials guide.
Sugarcane Vinegar (Sukang Iloko)
Tagalog: Sukang Iloko / Sukang Maasim
The most common vinegar in Filipino cooking, produced from fermented sugarcane juice. Sukang Iloko, from the Ilocos region, has a dark amber color and a mellow, slightly sweet acidity that makes it the preferred choice for adobo, paksiw, and sawsawan. Other cane vinegars labeled "sukang maasim" are lighter and sharper. The key difference from Western white vinegar is that Filipino cane vinegar doesn't have that harsh chemical sting -- it's more rounded and food-friendly.
T
Tamarind (Sampalok)
Tagalog: Sampalok
The sour fruit that gives sinigang its signature tangy flavor. Fresh tamarind pods contain a sticky, sour-sweet pulp that gets dissolved in water to create the souring liquid for the soup. Most home cooks today use tamarind paste or sinigang mix packets for convenience, but the flavor of fresh sampalok is noticeably brighter and more complex. Ripe tamarind is sweeter and used in candies (sampalok candy is a classic Filipino treat). Our article on making sinigang without tamarind covers alternative souring agents.
Taro (Gabi)
Tagalog: Gabi
A starchy root vegetable with brown, hairy skin and white-to-purple flesh. When cooked, taro develops a creamy, slightly nutty flavor and a thick, almost gluey texture that thickens soups and stews naturally. It's the ingredient that gives sinigang sa gabi its characteristic velvety body. Taro must always be cooked -- raw taro contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause severe itching and irritation if they contact skin or mucous membranes. Wear gloves when peeling, or coat your hands with vinegar first.
Tinapa (Smoked Fish)
Tagalog: Tinapa
Whole fish (usually galunggong or bangus) preserved by hot-smoking. The resulting fish has a golden-brown exterior, flaky flesh, and an intensely smoky, salty flavor. Tinapa is eaten as is with rice and dipping sauce for breakfast, or it's flaked and used as a flavoring ingredient in dishes like monggo soup and salads. The smokiness it adds to a pot of mung bean soup is irreplaceable -- it turns a simple bean dish into something rich and complex.
Tomato (Kamatis)
Tagalog: Kamatis
The third member of the Filipino cooking trinity (after garlic and onion). Filipino tomatoes are typically smaller and more oblong than beefsteak tomatoes, with a higher ratio of flesh to juice. They're diced and sauteed as part of the ginisa (saute) base, sliced for salads and sawsawan, and sometimes eaten raw with bagoong as a snack. Tomato sauce (the Filipino kind, often sweetened) also shows up in stews like menudo and caldereta.
Turmeric (Luyang Dilaw)
Tagalog: Luyang Dilaw / Dilaw
A bright yellow-orange rhizome related to ginger, with an earthy, slightly bitter, peppery taste. It's less common than ginger in everyday Filipino cooking but plays a starring role in specific regional dishes. The Maranao people of Mindanao use it extensively, and it appears in some versions of arroz caldo and in traditional herbal remedies. Fresh turmeric stains everything it touches -- your cutting board, your fingers, your clothes -- so handle it carefully.
U
Ube (Purple Yam)
Tagalog: Ube
A vibrant purple tuber that has become one of the most recognizable Filipino ingredients worldwide. Ube has a mild, sweet, slightly nutty flavor -- think sweet potato but more delicate and without the fibrous texture. The color is stunning: deep violet that holds even after cooking. Ube halaya (purple yam jam) is the traditional preparation, made by boiling and mashing ube then cooking it slowly with coconut milk and sugar. Ube flavor has gone global in recent years, appearing in ice cream, cakes, doughnuts, and lattes in restaurants from Manila to New York.
Ube Extract / Ube Flavoring
Tagalog: (same)
A concentrated flavoring made from purple yam, sold in small bottles. Because fresh ube is seasonal and hard to find outside the Philippines, ube extract is the go-to shortcut for home bakers. A few drops turn cake batter, buttercream, or ice cream base a vivid purple while adding that distinctive ube taste. The best brands (like McCormick Philippines or Butterfly) use actual ube in the extract; cheaper versions rely heavily on artificial coloring and flavoring.
+ More Notable Ingredients
Ampalaya (Bitter Melon)
Bumpy green gourd with a distinctly bitter flavor. Sauteed with egg and tomato (ginisang ampalaya), or added to pinakbet. Soaking sliced ampalaya in salt water before cooking reduces the bitterness.
Cane Vinegar (Sukang Maasim)
The default everyday vinegar in most Filipino households. Made from sugarcane, milder than white distilled. See the pantry essentials guide for more details on vinegar types.
Cassava (Kamoteng Kahoy)
A starchy root similar to taro but with a firmer, more neutral flavor. Ground into flour for cassava cake and pichi-pichi, or boiled and eaten as a snack.
Dried Shrimp (Hibi)
Tiny, dehydrated shrimp used as a flavor booster in soups, stir-fries, and rice dishes. They add a concentrated shrimp umami that fresh shrimp can't match.
Glutinous Rice (Malagkit)
Sticky rice used for desserts and kakanin (rice cakes). Essential for biko, suman, and bibingka. Different from regular rice -- do not substitute one for the other.
Jackfruit (Langka)
Large tropical fruit used both ripe (sweet, for halo-halo and desserts) and unripe (as a meat-like stew ingredient in ginataang langka).
Muscovado Sugar (Panocha)
Unrefined dark brown sugar with a deep molasses flavor. Used in humba, biko latik, and traditional kakanin. Darker and richer than regular brown sugar.
Star Anise (Anis)
A small, star-shaped spice with a strong licorice aroma. Added to beef pares and Chinese-influenced Filipino stews. Used sparingly -- one or two stars per pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important Filipino cooking ingredients to keep in my pantry?
The core Filipino pantry includes soy sauce (toyo), vinegar (suka), fish sauce (patis), garlic, onion, calamansi, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and cooking oil. With these basics, you can make adobo, sinigang, and most everyday Filipino dishes. Adding shrimp paste (bagoong), coconut milk (gata), and annatto seeds (achuete) expands your options significantly.
Where can I buy Filipino ingredients outside the Philippines?
Asian grocery stores are your best bet, especially those with a Filipino section. Look for chains like Seafood City or Island Pacific in the US. Online retailers like Amazon, Weee!, and FilStop also carry Filipino pantry staples. For fresh produce like calamansi or banana leaves, check Vietnamese or Chinese markets, which often stock similar items.
What is the difference between patis and bagoong?
Patis is fish sauce -- a clear, amber liquid made from fermented fish. It adds salty umami depth and is used as a seasoning in soups, stir-fries, and dipping sauces. Bagoong is shrimp paste -- a thick, chunky, pinkish-gray paste made from fermented shrimp. It has a stronger, funkier flavor and is used as a condiment with green mango or as a base ingredient in dishes like pinakbet and kare-kare.
Can I substitute regular vinegar for Filipino vinegar in recipes?
You can, but the flavor will be different. Filipino cane vinegar (sukang maasim) is milder and slightly sweet compared to white distilled vinegar. If substituting, use apple cider vinegar for the closest match, or dilute white vinegar with a little water and a pinch of sugar. For coconut vinegar (sukang tuba), rice vinegar with a drop of coconut extract works in a pinch.
What gives Filipino food its yellow-orange color?
Annatto seeds (achuete) are responsible for the golden-orange tint in dishes like kare-kare, chicken inasal, and pancit palabok. The seeds are soaked in warm oil or water to extract the color, then discarded. Achuete oil is available pre-made in bottles at Filipino stores. Turmeric (luyang dilaw) also contributes yellow color in some regional dishes.
Is coconut milk the same as coconut cream in Filipino cooking?
No. In Filipino cooking, the first pressing of grated coconut produces kakang gata (coconut cream) -- thick and rich. The second pressing with added water yields gata (coconut milk) -- thinner and lighter. Recipes that call for gata usually mean the thinner version. Coconut cream is added at the end of cooking for richness, while coconut milk goes in earlier as the cooking liquid.