In The Philippines, A Completely Different Fruit Is Used To Make Ketchup

There isn't a tomato in sight when this ketchup is made, but there's a distinctive quality to it that still makes it, well, ketchup. In the Philippines, you'll find it slathered on hamburgers and hot dogs, or used as a dipping sauce for wings and fish strips. It's a mainstay in Jollibee's sweet and savory spaghetti with its signature hot dogs, cheese, and ground beef. While this tomato-free ketchup is still a red condiment that pairs perfectly with everything from fries to traditional dishes like chicken adobo and Filipino lumpia, its tangy combination of vinegar, garlic, onion, and salt is balanced by a completely different fruit: the banana.

Filipino banana ketchup is as unique as it sounds, a tantalizing combination of sweet, savory, and sour ingredients that create a saucy substance worthy of obsession. It's a condiment and a marinade staple that's an easy swap in any recipe requiring tomato-based ketchup or tomato paste. You can buy or make it yourself at home, tweaking the recipe to your taste by adding chili flakes, paprika, turmeric, and cumin. For an even sweeter flavor, add guava to your homemade banana ketchup.

Tomato-based ketchup was a popular condiment in the Philippines prior to World War II, but as the war interrupted trade routes, imports like tomatoes became scarce. When the boats that brought tomatoes to the archipelago stopped, a Filipino food scientist named Maria Orosa found a way to make ketchup without its main ingredient. She swapped bananas for the traditional tomato and provided her fellow citizens with the luxury of ketchup during hard economic times. The first batches of Filipino banana ketchup were made from plantains, which remain a favorite main ingredient. Other varieties of bananas can be used in banana ketchup, though, including Lakatan and Saba bananas. Different varieties lend different flavors to the ketchup, and a combination of varieties are often used to make the sauce.

Banana ketchup in the Philippines tastes sweeter than tomato-based ketchup, with fruitier notes. Red food dye is what provides the signature ketchup color in popular brands like UFC and Jufran. But there are other kinds of banana ketchup around the world that hinge on the same fruit, offering different flavor profiles for creating a unique meal. Caribbean banana ketchup, for instance, is very similar to Filipino banana ketchup, but is sweeter and doesn't contain red dye.

Despite the fact that you probably already have a bottle of its tomato-based predecessor, this Filipino condiment should have a permanent place in your fridge. It's a lower-acidity version of standard ketchup that's versatile and fruity. For an extra tasty twist on a ballpark favorite, add banana ketchup to a banh mi spiral cut hot dog. Use it as a dipping sauce for french fries, chicken nuggets, or balsamic-glazed fried chicken wings on game night. You could even create your own delicious glaze for chicken wings with banana ketchup, or use it for a fruity and tangy pork marinade.

Banana ketchup is great on ribs and fried rice, and it's excellent with seafood, too. Take inspiration from the main ingredient in banana ketchup and try pairing it with tropical dishes. If you're feeling experimental, you can even use banana ketchup in a pasta sauce for fettucine and top it with minced celery and deli meat. Because of its blend of tangy vinegar flavors, salt, and fruity sweetness, banana ketchup is a condiment that'll lend a unique flavor to your food and make a great conversation starter for dinner parties, whether you're making a traditional Filipino dish or something new.