The market · Seasonings and ferments · Southeast Asia

Cane vinegar

Sukang iloko and other Filipino cane vinegars: mellow, round and slightly sweet, the sour backbone of adobo and sisig.

mellow · sour · faintly sweet

What to do with it

Ibu Sari's Beef rendangCane vinegar would cut through its richnessAna Etxarri's Pil pilCane vinegar would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's SuyaCane vinegar would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's Rendang, the Lagos wayCane vinegar would cut through its richness
Classics built on it
FilipinoAdoboChicken or pork braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay and black pepper until the sauce is dark and glossy.No one here has made it yetFilipinoSisigPig's face and ears boiled, grilled and chopped fine with onion, chilli and calamansi, served on a sizzling iron plate.No one here has made it yetFilipinoChicken inasalChicken marinated in vinegar, calamansi, lemongrass and ginger, grilled over charcoal and basted with annatto oil.No one here has made it yet

If you can't find it

Filipino grocers, as sukang iloko or Datu Puti.

  1. 1Rice vinegar
    The same, or cider vinegar
    You lose the mellow, faintly sweet funk.

Goes with

garlicsoy sauceblack pepperbay leaf

Knowing it

Where to buy
Filipino grocers. Rice vinegar is the nearest swap; white vinegar is too sharp.
Worth knowing
Bring it to the boil uncovered before stirring in an adobo; Filipino cooks say it cooks off the raw edge.

Kitchens that keep it in

The Philippines — more than seven thousand islands between the South China Sea and the PacificFilipinoSour, salty and a little sweet — vinegar and calamansi, fish sauce and shrimp paste, rice at every meal and pork cooked every way.10 classics

More seasonings and ferments

Seasonings and fermentsAmazakesweet, ricey, creamyNot cooked here yetSeasonings and fermentsApple brandyappley, warm, oaky3 classicsSeasonings and fermentsAsam kandissour, tartsourNot cooked here yetSeasonings and fermentsAwazehot, warm, tangyhotNot cooked here yet