Authentic Filipino-Style Siomai Sauce (Chili Garlic Sauce)
Filipino-style siomai sauce is a spicy chili-garlic condiment made by blending fresh bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo) with toasted garlic, cooking it down with oil until the flavors meld perfectly. Unlike its Thai counterpart, this sauce eschews tomatoes for a purer heat-and-garlic profile that Filipinos have come to love as the quintessential partner for dumplings, noodles, and various Asian dishes, offering both versatility as a condiment and potential as a small business product when properly bottled.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor (para sa paggigilig ng sili / for grinding chilies)
- Heavy-bottom pan or kawali (for even heat distribution)
- Wooden spoon or spatula (panghalo / for stirring)
- Sterilized glass jars with airtight lids (para sa storage / for storage)
- Face mask (proteksyon sa usok ng sili / protection from chili fumes)
- Rubber gloves (proteksyon sa kamay / hand protection)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for smoother texture)
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 250 g siling labuyo Thai bird's eye chilies
- 3 whole heads garlic peeled and minced (approximately 30-36 cloves)
- 1 cup olive oil or cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp hibe or finely chopped meat (optional)
- Salt pepper, and sugar to taste
Recommended Seasoning Measurements:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar to balance heat
Instructions
- Begin by sterilizing your glass jars (garapon) in boiling water (100°C/212°F) for 10 minutes to ensure food safety. While the jars are sterilizing, clean your bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo) and remove their stems. Peel and mince 3 whole heads of garlic (bawang). For safety, put on your protective mask and gloves as the chilies can release strong fumes during processing.
- Create the chili paste by placing the cleaned chilies in a blender with ½ cup of oil. Blend until you achieve a coarse paste texture. Set this mixture aside. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat (katamtamang init - 175°C/350°F). Add all the minced garlic and stir continuously until it turns golden brown and fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Watch carefully to prevent burning the garlic as this will make the sauce bitter.
- Lower the heat to low (mababang init - 120°C/250°F) and carefully add your chili paste mixture to the toasted garlic. If using dried shrimp (hibe), add it at this point. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (paminsan-minsang haluin). During this time, add 1 teaspoon salt (asin), ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (paminta), and 1-2 teaspoons sugar (asukal) to balance the flavors. Continue cooking until you see the oil separate from the solids and turn a deep red color (20-25 minutes total cooking time).
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool completely to room temperature. Transfer the cooled sauce to your sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top. Seal the jars tightly (mahigpit na isara). For best results, refrigerate and consume within 3 months, always using a clean, dry spoon when serving.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Use mature, red chilies for best color and flavor
- Toast garlic on medium-low heat for better control
- When oil turns red and floats to top, sauce is ready
- Open windows while cooking to ventilate
- Never process hot sauce in blender - let it cool first
- Test spiciness by starting with fewer chilies
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 28mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!