Raisins
Raisins = equal amount of chopped dried fruit such as currants, pitted chopped dates, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, etc.

Red Pepper
Red pepper = dash of bottled hot pepper sauce
or
Red pepper = dash of black pepper

Ricotta Cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese = 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 tablespoon skim milk

Rosemary
Rosemary = equal amount of thyme

Saffron
Saffron =  annatto as colorant
or
Saffron = equal amount of atchuete or kasubha

Sesame Oil
Sesame Oil = 1 tablespoon sesame seeds fried in ½ cup vegetable oil.

Contributed by: Iris Velasco

Iris suggests toasting sesame seeds in vegetable oil to get that sweet sesame oil taste.

Shallots
Shallots = Equal amount of red onion

Contributed by: Mads de Guzman

Mads suggests using red onions instead of shallots because they’re bigger and need less preparation.

Shortening
1 cup shortening = 1 cup butter
or
1 cup shortening = margarine
or
1 cup shortening = lard

*When using shortening in place of butter or margarine, add 1 tablespoon milk or water for each 1/2 cup shortening used. DO NOT substitute vegetable oil for shortening when recipe calls for melting the shortening

Sour Cream
1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt
or
1 cup sour cream = 3/4 cup sour milk

Spinach
Spinach = Equal amount of Kangkong
or
Spinach = Equal amount of Talbos ng Sili

Sugar, brown
1 cup brown sugar = 3/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 cup molasses

Sugar, caster (superfine)
1 cup caster sugar = 1 cup granulated white sugar, processed in food processor until very fine

Sugar, granulated, white
1 cup sugar = 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
or
1 cup sugar = 3/4 cup honey (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup)
or
1 cup sugar = 1/2 cup corn syrup or molasses (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)

Sugar, light Brown
1 cup light brown sugar = 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar (Slight flavor differences will occur)
or
1 cup light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses

Sugar, powdered Sugar
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch processed in a food processor fitted with a metal blade

Tamarind Juice
Tamarind Juice = 5 parts tomato ketchup to one part vinegar

Contributed by: Evelyn Ong

Evelyn recommends using ketchup and vinegar instead of tamarind juice.

Tarragon
Tarragon = equal amount of chervil
or
Tarragon = dash of fennel seed
or
Tarragon = dash of aniseed

Tomato Sauce
1 cup tomato sauce = 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water

Thyme
Thyme = equal amount of basil
or
Thyme = equal amount of marjoram
or
Thyme = equal amount of oregano

Ubod ng Niyog
Ubod ng Niyog = Equal amount of singkamas

Contributed by: Vanessa Montejo

Vanessa says you can use singkamas instead of Ubod ng Niyog. She uses it in her recipe for  fresh  lumpia.

Vanilla Extract
vanilla extract = equal amount of imitation vanilla flavoring
Or
vanilla extract = equal amount of other flavorings, such as almond, peppermint, rum or lemon (flavor differences will occur)

Vinegar, apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar = 1/4 cup white vinegar

Vinegar, white
1/4 cup white vinegar = 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
or
1/4 cup white vinegar = 1/3 cup lemon juice

Water Chestnut
Water Chestnuts = equal amount of singkamas

Wine
½ cup wine = 1/2 cup fruit juice
or
½ cup wine = 1/2 cup chicken broth (used for savory recipes)

Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce = 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce (patis)
or
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce = 1 teaspoon light soy sauce with salt

Contributed by: Marilyn Pascual

When Marilyn can’t find any worcestershire sauce she just uses some patis or soy sauce with salt as marinade.

Yogurt, plain (not low fat)
1 cup plain yogurt  = 1 cup sour cream
or
1 cup plain yogurt  = 1 cup buttermilk
or
1 cup plain yogurt  = 1 cup crème fraiche
or
1 cup plain yogurt  = 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35%) plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Zucchini
Zucchini = equal amount of cucumber or eggplant