Savoring Sourness

After just one bite of a salty-tango adobe or a puckers, ceviche-like kinilaw, you’ll understand why celebrated Filipino food writer Doreen Fernandez deemed vinegar the Philippines’ “principal condiment”. While the dishes of the country’s many islands vary widely, Filipino cuisine is united by its reliance on all things sharp and sour, such as calamansi; tamarind; and above all, vinegar. Vinegar is beloved in the Philippines for both its bracing flavor and its preservative qualities (a valuable trait in the tropical islands), and there are countless native styles, from those made with coconut, rice, and pineapple to bottles infused with chiles and herbs. In our Lumpiang Shanghai with Seasoned Vinegar dipping sauce, we call for sukang maasim, or white cane vinegar, a common Filipino vinegar that’s made from sugarcane and boasts a balanced, versatile tart-sweetness.