I remember when my family just got to this country and we were all confused about the ingredient names. Often enough we didn’t know what they called them here and my step father, the one that got us here, had no idea what they were called either. To make the situation even worse we didn’t know any Filipino’s that lived nearby to ask questions about them. Below, I provided some of the popular Filipino ingredients and what they call it in the U.S. Aside from the Obvious Hopefully this will stop your confusion about what they are called in English.

Achuete or Achiote – Annatto seeds

Alimasag – Crabs

Alugbati – Spinach

Ampalaya – Bitter melon or Bitter gourd

Asin – Salt

Baboy – Pork or Pig

Baka – Beef

Bagoong alamang – Fermented salted shrimp paste

Bagoong isda – Fermented salted anchovies

Baguio beans – Green beans

Bawang – Garlic

Bihon – Rice noodles

Buko – Young coconut

Bulalo – Beef shanks

Calamansi – Filipino lime, “Lemon” is the best substitute

Canton – Egg noodles

Chicharon – Pork rinds

Dilis – Anchovies

Dugo – Pork, Beef, and Chicken blood used for cooking

Gabe – Taro = Root or Leaves

Gata – Coconut milk

Galunggong – Round Scads or Mackerel Scads

Hamon – Ham

Hipon – Shrimp

Isda – Fish

Kabute – Mushroom

Kalabasa – Pumpkin or Squash

Kangkong – Water Spinach or Swamp Cabbage

Kamatis – Tomato

Kamote – Sweet potatoes or Yam

Kamoteng Kahoy – Cassava or Yuca root

Kinchay / Kintsay – Celery or Chinese Leeks

Kutsay – Leeks

Labanos – Radish – Daikon

Labong – Bamboo shoots

Langka – Jackfruit

Laurel leaf – Bay leaf

Lomo – Beef loin

Luya – Ginger

Malunggay leaves – Horseradish leaves

Manok – Chicken

Miki – Egg noodles

Misua or Miswa – Vermicelli noodles

Misu – Soybean paste

Mongo – Mung beans

Mustasa – Mustard

Pansit or Pancit – Noodles

Patola – Zucchini

Paminta – Peppercorns (Black pepper is the dried unripe berries and white pepper (ground) is from the ripe berries of the same pepper vine)

Patani – Lima beans

Patis – Fish sauce

Pechay / Petsay – Bok-choi, Bok-choy, Chinese cabbage

Pimiento – A red pepper typically found in pickled version

Pipino – Cucumber

Pusit – Squid or Calamari

Patatas – Potatoes

Repolyo – Cabbage

Sampalok – Tamarind

Sayote – Chayote

Saluyot – Jute

Singkamas – Jicama or Turnip

Sitao or Sitaw – String beans or Yard-long bean

Sibuyas – Onions

Sigarilyas – Winged Beans

Siling Labuyo – “Thai peppers” or “Birds Eye Chili”- originated from Thailand (“Very Hot!”)

Siling Mahaba – Finger peppers

Sotanghon – Transparent bean noodles, also known as cellophane noodles

Sugpo – Giant tiger prawn

Tanglad – Lemon grass

Talaba – Oysters

Talong – Eggplant

Tausi – Black soy beans, salted and fermented.

Togue – Bean sprouts

Tokwa – Tofu

Tulya – Freshwater clams

Ubod – Hearts of palm

Upo – Bottle gourd

Wansuy – Cilantro

Mga di-binagong pangalan – Unchanged names!

Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Okra
Papaya
Soya