Mang Tomas – The Iconic Filipino “All around Sauce”

Mang Tomas is a gravy-condiment used in many Filipino dishes as either a dipping sauce, or an added ingredient to the main dish. Some even seeing it as an all purpose sauce. This brand was created in the late 1980’s by Hernan Reyes after purchasing Aling Pitang (the cook’s) lechon sauce recipe that was founded in Quiapo Manila. Not being handled by the Company NutriAsia. A household staple is known for its mix of sweet, salty, and spicy taste and slightly creamy texture that pairs well with fried or grilled food, especially lechon.

Mang Tomas history

Sometimes called “Mr. Tomas”, “Mang Tomas all purpose sauce” or “Mang Tomas gravy”, this condiment is a ‘sari-sari sauce’ or an “all around sauce” as it can be added into stews, sautees, fried rice, other sauces, or simply as a dipping sauce. Similar to the versatile ketchup that can be topped of everywhere and anything, some go for this delectable sauce.

The core product of the company NutriAsia, created by Hernan Reyes around the 1980’s after he purchased a lechon sauce from a lechon shop in Quiapo, Manila by Aling Pitang. He recreated the sauce and called it “Mang Tomas Sarsa” after another shop found in Sana Mesa, Manila. The brand was then bought by Southeast Asia Food Inc. known now to many as NutriAsia. The company then rebranded this into “Mang Tomas All-Around Sarsa” within the Philippines and exported it as “Mang Tomas All-purpose sauce”. The sauce was once made with liver listed in the label of ingredient and since 2017 has been removed from the label, though as of 2022 pork liver was added in the ingredients list. They have also made an alternative version of the sauce that is said to be halal to accommodate more people, there are also vegan versions found in the United States but Philippine based products of these condiments still have liver. 

What does Mang Tomas taste like? It tastes like liver with a touch of tanginess from the vinegar, is peppery, salty, and subtly sweet, ,with a thick but smooth gravy-like texture. Homemade versions of these are sometimes written as liver sauce since this is one of the main ingredients. Made into popular dishes like Mang Tomas lechon paksiw, lechon asado, as the main dipping sauce for lechon or crispy pata, and some even adding these in dinuguan, adobo, or in pancit bihon.

Questions:

• Mang Tomas ingredients:

Water, cane sugar, breadcrumbs (palm oil, sugar, and wheat flour), cane vinegar, salt, hydrolyzed plant protein (soy protein), garlic, onions, black pepper, and 0.1% of Sodium Benzoate added as a preservative.

• Is Mang Tomas halal?

Most are not, but the company which handles the brand NutriAsia has stated to recreate a Halal version of the sauce which are exported to the Middle East and United States. Do note to check the label if the version bought is halal.

• Does Mang Tomas Expire?

Yes, the expiration date will be found around the bottle cap or the back of the brand’s sachet. But typically it can last around 6 months from the time it’s opened. It’s also best to store it in a cooler area or in the fridge.

• Where to buy Mang Tomas?

You can find them in almost every grocery store in the Philippines, sometimes even at convenient stores or sari-sari stores. Outside the Philippines you might find them in Asian of FIlipino specialty stores, sometimes in the Asian aisle of some grocery stores . For convenience you can also find them online.

Mang Tomas recipes:

• Pair it as a dipping sauce for Crispy Pork Belly, Lechon Manok sa Kawali, or Lechon Pork Belly.

* Disclaimer: Yummy Kitchen does not have any affiliation to the brand and will not assume any responsibility to the errors or omitted content of this site about this article *