Sinigang Na Baboy
Filipino sour pork soup: pork ribs or belly simmered in a broth made tart with tamarind, with vegetables (taro, daikon, beans, water spinach) added in stages. The defining sour note comes from tamarind paste; sometimes from green mango or kalamansi.
Overview
Pork ribs simmer with onion, tomato and tamarind to build broth and tartness. Vegetables go in by cooking time: hardy ones early (taro, daikon), tender ones late (beans, water spinach). Fish sauce seasons; chilli gives optional heat. Served with rice.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork spare ribs (cut into 4 cm pieces) or pork belly chunks
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 2 tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 ½ litres water
- 4 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (plus more to taste)
- 1 daikon radish (small, peeled, sliced 1 cm thick)
- 1 taro root (small, peeled, cubed; optional)
- 200 g green beans (or yard-long beans, trimmed, cut into 5 cm)
- 200 g okra (trimmed)
- 1 long green chilli (or jalapeño, slit)
- 1 bunch spinach (kangkong)
- Cooked white rice, to serve
- Lime (or kalamansi wedges), to serve
Method
Stage 1 - Build the broth
- Place the pork, onion, tomato and water in a large pot.
- Bring to a simmer; skim the scum.
- Cover loosely and cook 40 minutes until the pork is tender.
Stage 2 - Add tamarind
- Stir in the tamarind paste (or sinigang mix); taste - the broth should be assertively sour.
- Add fish sauce; adjust if needed.
Stage 3 - Vegetables
- Add the daikon and taro (if using); simmer 8 minutes.
- Add the green beans and okra; simmer 5 minutes.
- Add the chilli and spinach; simmer 1 minute (the leaves should just wilt).
Stage 4 - Serve
- Ladle into deep bowls.
- Eat with rice; pass extra fish sauce and chilli at the table.
Notes
- Sour is the point: Adobo uses vinegar; sinigang uses tamarind. Don't tone it down. Filipino sinigang is bracingly tart.
- Vegetables in stages: Tough roots first, leafy greens last. Each should retain some texture.
- Sinigang mix shortcut: Filipino brands (Knorr, Mama Sita's) sell pre-made tamarind soup mix sachets; faster and more reliable than fresh tamarind for newcomers.
Storage
- Improves the next day; the sourness mellows. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.
- Add the leafy greens fresh when reheating.
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