My Filipino Siomai Sauce Recipe

Siomai is my favorite merienda. I love those dumplings paired with a spicy siomai sauce. After finding myself always bitin with the tiny packets of sauce from fast foods and buying expensive bottled versions from the grocery, I made my own siomai sauce recipe.

This recipe is exactly how we Filipinos love our siomai sauce: garlicky, spicy, and without tomatoes like other Asian versions. It's super tipid because you can make a big batch that lasts for months in your refrigerator.

My Ingredients

• 250g siling labuyo (Thai bird's eye chilies)
• 3 whole heads garlic, peeled and minced (about 30-36 cloves)
• 1 cup olive oil or cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (hibe) or finely chopped meat (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar to balance heat

How I Make My Filipino Siomai Sauce

1. I begin by sterilizing my glass jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. While my jars are sterilizing, I clean my bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo) and remove their stems. I peel and mince 3 whole heads of garlic.
2. I create my chili paste by placing the cleaned chilies in my blender with ½ cup of oil. I blend until I achieve a coarse paste texture, then set this mixture aside.
3. I heat the remaining oil in my heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. I add all my minced garlic and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. I watch carefully to prevent burning because burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
4. I lower my heat to low and carefully add my chili paste mixture to the toasted garlic. If I'm using dried shrimp, I add it at this point. I allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. During the simmering process, I add my salt, pepper, and sugar to balance the flavors. I continue cooking until I see the oil separate from the solids and turn a deep red color. This takes 20-25 minutes total cooking time.
6. I remove my sauce from heat and let it cool completely.
7. I transfer my cooled sauce to the sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top. I seal the jars tightly and store them in my refrigerator. For best results, I consume within 3 months.

My Personal Tips

• I select mature, bright red chilies for the best color and flavor.
• I toast my garlic on medium low heat. Golden brown is perfect, dark brown means it's burnt.
• I watch for the oil separation. When the oil turns red and floats to the top, my sauce is ready.
• I test my spiciness level by starting with fewer chilies and adjusting to my taste preference.
• The layer of oil that forms on top helps preserve my sauce longer, so don't worry about it.

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

My Filipino Siomai Sauce Recipe

My Siomai Sauce: authentic Filipino chili garlic sauce that's deeply garlicky, perfectly spicy, and way better than store bought.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese, Filipino

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 250 g siling labuyo (Thai bird's eye chilies)
• 3 whole heads garlic peeled and minced (about 30-36 cloves)
• 1 cup olive oil or cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp hibe or finely chopped meat (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar to balance heat

Method

 

1. I begin by sterilizing my glass jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. While my jars are sterilizing, I clean my bird's eye chilies (siling labuyo) and remove their stems. I peel and mince 3 whole heads of garlic.
2. I create my chili paste by placing the cleaned chilies in my blender with ½ cup of oil. I blend until I achieve a coarse paste texture, then set this mixture aside.
3. I heat the remaining oil in my heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. I add all my minced garlic and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. I watch carefully to prevent burning because burnt garlic will make the sauce bitter.
4. I lower my heat to low and carefully add my chili paste mixture to the toasted garlic. If I'm using dried shrimp, I add it at this point. I allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. During the simmering process, I add my salt, pepper, and sugar to balance the flavors. I continue cooking until I see the oil separate from the solids and turn a deep red color. This takes 20-25 minutes total cooking time.
6. I remove my sauce from heat and let it cool completely.
7. I transfer my cooled sauce to the sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of space at the top. I seal the jars tightly and store them in my refrigerator. For best results, I consume within 3 months.

Notes

• I select mature, bright red chilies for the best color and flavor.
• I toast my garlic on medium low heat. Golden brown is perfect, dark brown means it's burnt.
• I watch for the oil separation. When the oil turns red and floats to the top, my sauce is ready.
• I test my spiciness level by starting with fewer chilies and adjusting to my taste preference.
• The layer of oil that forms on top helps preserve my sauce longer, so don't worry about it.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!