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Most Filipino pantry staples are not stocked by mainstream UK supermarkets, so a Filipino grocer or an online order is the reliable route. The exceptions are condensed and evaporated milk for leche flan and plain spring roll pastry, which every large supermarket sells. Below is what to look for, the brand names to ask for and what to use instead.
Filipino soy sauce
Filipino soy sauce is thinner and a little sweeter than Chinese light soy sauce. Datu Puti and Silver Swan are the names to look for in a Filipino grocer, usually shelved next to the cane vinegar.
Chinese light soy sauce works in most recipes if you cannot find it. A large bottle is good value once you cook chicken adobo often, and soy sauce keeps for a long time in the cupboard with the cap on tight.
Cane vinegar (sukang maasim)
Cane vinegar is made from sugar cane and tastes milder and rounder than malt or white wine vinegar. Datu Puti is the brand most Filipino grocers carry, and the name sukang maasim is understood in any Filipino shop.
Plain white vinegar is the closest swap from a UK supermarket. Vinegar keeps for years in the cupboard.
Lumpia wrappers
Lumpia wrappers are thinner than standard spring roll wrappers and give a lighter, crisper roll. Filipino and Asian grocers sell them frozen, near the dumpling skins.
Frozen spring roll pastry from a large supermarket is a fair swap. Thaw any wrappers in the fridge and peel the sheets apart one at a time so they do not tear. Our lumpia recipe shows how to roll them.
Leche flan supplies
Leche flan needs condensed milk, evaporated milk and eggs, and every UK supermarket sells the milks in the baking aisle. The llanera, a shallow oval tin used to steam the custard, is harder to find. Filipino grocers and online shops sell it.
Any shallow heatproof tin or a set of ramekins works instead of a llanera. A large oval tin suits a party batch, while a small one is plenty for a household. See our leche flan recipe for the method.
Other Filipino pantry staples
- Bagoong. Fermented shrimp or fish paste, used in cooking and as a condiment.
- Patis. Filipino fish sauce, for seasoning soups and stews.
- Banana ketchup. The sweet, tangy red sauce served with fried food.
- Sinigang mix. A sour soup base, usually tamarind flavoured.
- Kalamansi. A small, sharp citrus, sold as juice or concentrate in the UK.
- Achiote (annatto). Red seeds used for colour in dishes like pancit and kare kare.
- Toyomansi. A soy and kalamansi dipping sauce you can mix at home.
Where to shop
A Filipino grocer is the best stop, since one shop will carry nearly everything on this page. Larger Asian supermarkets often keep a small Filipino shelf too. If neither is near you, the pantry items post well and keep for months, so one online order can cover several dishes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make chicken adobo without Filipino soy sauce and vinegar?
Yes. Chinese light soy sauce and white vinegar give a close result, though the flavour is a little sharper.
Do UK supermarkets sell any Filipino ingredients?
They sell condensed and evaporated milk for leche flan, and plain spring roll pastry that works for lumpia. Most other Filipino staples need a Filipino grocer or an online order.
What is the best Filipino soy sauce brand?
Datu Puti and Silver Swan are the two brands most Filipino cooks reach for, and both are easy to find in Filipino grocers.
Shop this
- Filipino soy sauce. The thinner, slightly sweet soy sauce used in adobo.
- Cane vinegar. The traditional vinegar for a proper adobo.
- Llanera flan mould. The traditional tin for steaming leche flan.
