Fill Your Kitchen with the Essentials
Chef Clyte’s Must-Have Ingredients
In Chef Clyte Araneta’s kitchen, the atmosphere is filled with the enticing scents of bubbling broths, zesty marinades, and tender, slow-roasted meats. “Cooking is all about honoring the ingredients and discovering how to elevate their finest flavors,” she says, reaching for a bottle of native coconut vinegar. “Creating amazing dishes doesn’t require an endless array of spices—just a few key essentials will do the trick.”
To truly embrace the richness and liveliness of Cebuano cuisine, here are seven key ingredients that Chef Clyte ensures are always stocked in her pantry.
1. Authentic Vinegar (Sukang Tuba)
“In Cebu, we embrace vinegar not just as a dip but as an essential ingredient,” Chef Clyte remarks, adding a splash of sukang tuba to a bowl of freshly sliced fish. This fermented coconut vinegar plays a vital role in kinilaw, Cebu’s unique take on ceviche, where its acidity gently cures the seafood. It adds richness to braised dishes and enhances the flavor of dipping sauces.
Simple methods to incorporate sukang tuba:
✔️ Use it to marinate fresh fish for a delightful kinilaw
✔️ Combine with soy sauce and chilies for a flavorful Cebuano-style dipping sauce
✔️ Stir into stews like humba to achieve a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity
2. Lemongrass
Chef Clyte grabs a bundle of lemongrass, the crisp stalks exuding a vibrant, citrusy aroma. “This is one of my most cherished ingredients,” she shares. Lemongrass adds a vibrant, refreshing touch to soups, marinades, and grilled dishes, perfectly balancing the richness of meats and broths. Simple methods to incorporate lemongrass: ✔️ Steep in broths such as tinola for a delightful fragrance ✔️ Use in marinades for grilled meats to enhance with a citrus scent ✔️ Crush and mix into steamed rice for a delicate hint of flavor.3. Batuan (A Tangy Visayan Delight)
“This is what sets our stews apart from those in Luzon,” Chef Clyte shares, as he slices into a batuan fruit, a native souring agent cherished in Cebuano and Visayan cuisine. Batuan offers a gentler, fruitier acidity compared to vinegar, beautifully complementing the richness of larang (a sour seafood stew) and sinigang-style dishes. Simple methods to incorporate batuan: ✔️ Add whole batuan to stews like larang for a delightful tang ✔️ Blend into a paste for a distinctive sour seasoning ✔️ Utilize as a foundation for dipping sauces and marinades4. Atsuete (Annatto Seeds)
With a flourish, Chef Clyte adds a handful of atsuete (annatto seeds) to sizzling oil, eagerly observing the vibrant red hue unfold. “This isn’t just for aesthetics,” she clarifies. Atsuete brings a delicate earthy essence to recipes such as chicken inasal and kare-kare, enhancing meats and sauces with a luxurious, golden color.
Simple methods to incorporate atsuete:
✔️ Infuse in oil and drizzle over grilled meats
✔️ Stir into stews for depth of color and mild spice
✔️ Mix with vinegar for a vibrant marinade
5. Patis (Fish Sauce)
“In Cebuano cooking, we use salt, but we also rely heavily on patis (fish sauce) to enhance the umami flavor,” Chef Clyte explains. Patis, crafted from fermented fish, elevates a variety of dishes, from soups to dipping sauces.
Simple methods to incorporate patis:
✔️ Stir in a splash to enhance broths such as tinowa (clear fish soup)
✔️ Combine with calamansi and chili for a zesty dipping sauce
✔️ Enhance the flavor of your stir-fried vegetables with this seasoning
6. Tablea (Authentic Cacao)
With a smile, Chef Clyte reaches for a pack of tablea. “This goes beyond just sweet treats.” Our chocolate boasts a deep, robust flavor with a hint of bitterness—ideal for enhancing savory creations as well. Tablea is a key ingredient in Cebu’s sikwate (hot chocolate), but it also adds an unexpected depth to braised dishes such as humba or mole-style sauces.
Simple methods to incorporate tablea:
✔️ Melt it into sikwate for a luxurious, rich hot chocolate experience
✔️ Mix it into humba for a touch of bitterness that perfectly balances the sweetness
✔️ Add it to marinades for meats such as beef or pork
7. Dried Danggit (Salted Rabbitfish)
“Every kitchen in Cebu needs danggit,” Chef Clyte declares, showcasing a bundle of sun-dried rabbitfish. With its salty crunch and rich umami flavor, danggit is not just a breakfast favorite; it elevates soups, fried rice, and even pasta dishes to new heights. Simple methods to enjoy danggit: ✔️ Delight in crispy danggit silog (paired with rice and eggs) for a hearty breakfast ✔️ Crumble it over pasta for a burst of salty, umami flavor ✔️ Simmer it in soup stocks to add a rich seafood essenceInfusing Every Kitchen with Cebuano Flavors
“You don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients to create delicious dishes,” Chef Clyte shares, as she organizes her must-haves. “It’s all about making the most of what you’ve got.”
The tang of batuan and the rich depth of tablea are essential to the essence of Cebuano cuisine, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that are vibrant, soothing, and intricately connected to the island’s heritage.
Whether you’re whipping up a quick dipping sauce, crafting a hearty stew, or simmering a light broth—begin with the essential ingredients, and you’ll consistently bring the vibrant flavors of Cebu to your dining experience.