Omsom Sisig Cooking Sauce

Traditionally, sisig takes form as a Filipino street food or small plate (pulutan) of minced pork, but this complex sauce can infuse any type of dish with sisig’s punchy umami flavor. Earthy porcini mushroom and garlic give a savory base, while pureed calamansi (a tropical citrus fruit akin to yuzu or lime) brightens the sauce with floral tartness and gets a boost from the sugarcane vinegar. A good dose of heat from chili flakes rounds everything out for an intense harmony of flavors. We’re especially impressed by the vibrancy of its citrus flavor, as many pre-made sauces don’t capture the freshness and zest of the fruit. Deliciously thick, this version of the Filipino staple is like nothing else on the market—made with no additives, preservatives and in collaboration with Nicole Ponseca, owner of NYC’s Jeepney restaurant.

Ingredients

Ingredients:Cane vinegar, garlic, calamansi puree, porcini mushroom powder, dried chili flakes
Specifications

Net Weight: Contains 3 Vietnamese Lemongrass BBQ starters—1.8 ounces each
Place of Origin: New York
How to use

The Omsom team tapped chef Nicole Ponseca of Manhattan’s Jeepney to develop a sauce that was both flavorful and elevated.

With a James Beard nomination under her belt and being one of the first Manhattan restaurants to serve a pulutan-style menu (the Filipino equivalent of Spanish tapas), Ponseca is a tastemaker in the truest sense of the word. “It is impossible to ignore that every choice at her restaurant and on her menu is in service of her activism and bringing visibility to a country and cuisine that is profoundly unique on the continent of Asia,” says the Omsom team.

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HOW TO USE

Called a “meal starter” by the Omsom team, this sauce can truly bring together a number of dishes, not just its intended pork sisig dish. But if you choose to go the traditional route, simply season thinly sliced pork with salt and pepper as you sweat sliced onion in a splash of oil. Add the pork and cook until lightly browned. Reduce to low then add the sisig starter. Season with salt pepper and a spoonful of mayo to taste. You can also use this rich sauce to pack flavor into proteins like pork belly and tofu or vegetables, like our Sweet-and-Savory Skillet-Steamed Eggplant (just replace the sauce with the sisig). Or add to fluffy white rice or any dish with fresh herbs and punchy onion or scallion like lettuce cups.

Kitchen Notes

As is true with anything acidic, cooking this sisig starter sauce will soften its delicious tang; if you choose to cook the sauce (such as searing after using it as a marinade), you may want to re-invigorate the acidity with a squeeze of lime or lemon.