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This toyomansi recipe is a hyper-flavorful Filipino dipping sauce that comes together in 5 minutes flat. With only 6 ingredients, you'll have the best salty, citrusy, and wildly versatile stuff to dunk your lumpia or crispy tofu in.
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The name "toyomansi" is literally a mash-up of "toyo" (Tagalog for soy sauce) and "calamansi". OK, to be fair, the traditional name for it is Toyo't Kalamansi. You'll love that it's naturally shelf-stable (for a few days, at least), and flexible enough to sub lime if calamansi is tricky to find where you live.
Obviously, this stuff is completely clutch for dipping your lumping Shanghai in, but it's also unsurprisingly amazing to serve with rice dumplings, Vietnamese goi cuon, and vegan Thai spring rolls. Sorry, but you'll want to marinate your whole life in it, job, car, and all.
Whether you're plating up barbecue skewers or just need something to punch up some rice and veggies, this is the little jar of magic you've been shaking in your bed, calling out for in the night, f'reals.
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🥰Why you'll adore this toyomansi recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my vegan Filipino recipes, this bad boy skips the fish sauce, shrimp paste, and nasty ol' meat juice of all kinds. It's one of the most versatile, flavor-blasted gluten-free vegan recipes you can keep in your fridge, that's what.
✨ Minimalist Magic: Just 6 ingredients, no cooking, and ready in minutes.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this one's been shared and battle-tested with the help of a massive team of hundreds of recipe testers across the globe.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🍋🟩 Ingredients for soy-calamansi dipping sauce
The Soy Sauce
While you can 100% make this with any soy sauce you have on hand, using tamari makes it naturally gluten-free. Coconut aminos are also gluten-free, AND soy-free and make a good 1-1 swap in this recipe.
Calamansi Juice
Calamansi juice is a mildly sweet, mostly tart citrus native to the Philippines that adds a bright, punchy edge to savory dishes. You'll often find bottled calamansi juice at Asian grocery stores, usually in the juice or condiment aisle. It's the citrus backbone in everything from ensaladang pipino to ginataang gulay and langka. If you can't get your hands on it, lime juice is hands-down the best substitute.
Shallots
Shallots lend a subtle sweetness and gentle oniony crunch that doesn't overpower, which makes them ideal for raw condiments like sambal matah and sambal dabu dabu.
Shallots are used all over Southeast Asia-- think Indonesian tahu goreng, Malaysian curry laksa, and Thai eggplant curry. In a pinch, red onion is a totally fine substitute. Just mince the absolute living daylights out of it.
Bird's Eye Chilies
These tiny chilies pack serious heat, heat that is delicious and nuanced, though. You'll find bird's eye chilies lighting up Thai salad dressing, giving Vietnamese rau muống its edge, and bringing the fire to Filipino vegetable okoy.
Start with one if you're a total wuss spice-averse, but if you're ready to go full spice gremlin, toss in two or three. The closest pepper in terms of heat and flavor? Indian hari mirch chilies-they've got the same intensity and a truly great taste.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Yuzu Toyo't kalamansi
Swap in yuzu juice to add a unique Japanese citrus dimension that makes it awesome to serve with onigiri, or over a vegan sushi bake with homemade furikake and shichimi togarashi.
Cilantro-Scallion Toyomansi
Fold in a generous handful of finely chopped cilantro or scallions to introduce a fresh, herbal lift that makes this like a Filipino version of nam jim jaew.
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📖 How to make toyomansi
Okay okay, you just want the sauce. Scroll to the recipe card below if you're ready to go full speed. Otherwise, here's how to boss it step-by-step:
Step One
Soy Meets World:
Combine tamari, calamansi juice, and vinegar in a small bowl or glass.
Step Two
We've Got Shallot in Common:
Add in minced shallot, bird's eye chilies, and garlic.
Step Three
Jarassic Park:
Stir well and let the mix sit at room temp for at least 10 minutes before serving. Or place it in a jar where it will keep well for several weeks under refrigeration, or a few days at room temperature.
💡Serving Ideas
Drizzle some over vegan tokwa't baboy, and every smoky, sizzling edge suddenly snaps with brightness. Or pour it on adobong sitaw-because that saucy, savory jackfruit situation was basically made for a tangy counterpart, and toyomansi is the only acceptable answer.
Got grilled eggplant? Ensaladang talong plus toyomansi is the duo you didn't know you were rooting for. Or do what I do and drizzle it over a bowl of garlicky sinangag and tofu sisig like it's seasoning the whole damn day.
👉Top tips
- Chop Until Your Hand Falls Offf: Shallots and garlic should be minced into oblivion-think confetti. If your knife skills kinda suck, you can use a box grater to get them obliterated.
- Respect the Chili: Bird's eye chilies can be sweet one second and full-on demolition crew the next. Start slow, taste as you go, and always warn your guests if they are scared of a little heat.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Ponzu is Japanese and often includes dashi (a slow-brewed stock that usually has some fish in it). Toyomansi is fish-free and simpler.
Totally up to you. You control the chili situation. If you crank up the bird's eye chilies or add extra heat, you're basically making chilimansi-the spicy version of toyomansi.
At room temperature, it'll last up to 3 days. Under refrigeration, it can last weeks without going funky.
Absolutely. It's killer on tofu, tempeh, or seitan before grilling or pan-frying.
🇵🇭You'll love these vegan Filipino recipes too:
Learn to make absurdly good vegan food from the Philippines in a super-fun recorded cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Toyomansi Recipe
Equipment
- Citrus juicer optional
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons tamari or other soy sauce of your preference
- ¼ cup calamansi juice or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ cup shallot or red onion, finely minced
- 2 bird's eye chilies or to taste, minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
Instructions
- Combine the tamari, calamansi juice, and white vinegar in a small bowl.
- Add the shallot, chilies, and garlic.
- Stir well until evenly mixed. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors and aromatics to infuse with the liquids.
Notes
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Dushenka Silberfarb says
My Filipino neighbors have a kalamansi tree and now I have something to share back when they give me some of the ripe kalamansi