Pork Sinigang (Sinigang na Baboy)

Pork sinigang is a hearty and delicious sour soup from the Philippines. Flavored with tamarind paste, this delicious dish is best paired with a side of rice for a filling meal!

This classic dish is one of the most beloved soup of all Filipinos. It’s hearty and filling, perfect for those rainy days or chilly winter months.

This is a staple in almost all Filipino households. We’d have sinigang a few times a month in our family, so that familiar aroma of tamarind is almost ingrained into my senses!

Everyone’s different, but does anyone else love their sinigang extremely sour? Whenever my parents would cook a pot of sinigang as a kid, I’d sneak into the kitchen and add just a few extra dashes of the sinigang powder mix into the pot.

My parents weren’t too happy about that, as the very first spoonful they’d taste of the sinigang would make their face pucker (sorry mom and dad).

Now that I cook on my own, I reserve a little extra soup for myself. The majority of the soup goes towards my family, and the one to myself I tweak a little bit to fit my own tastes. That’s the beauty of this sinigang -while I’ve outlined some clear measurements for this recipe, you’re free to adjust as you please.

What is Sinigang?

Sinigang is a sour soup originating from the Philippines. The word sinigang in Tagalog means “stewed dish”, which mainly points to its cooking method.

Knowing this, sinigang is not only just a name for this particular soup, but it is also an umbrella term describing the cooking method for its many different variations.

Sinigang can be made with various proteins including pork, seafood (such as Shrimp Sinigang), beef, and/or chicken.

Even the souring agent may be altered depending on regional differences. Some may choose to use tamarind, while other regions may opt for calamansi or unripe mangoes to provide the tang.

What most sinigang will have in common is in their addition of vegetables -and lots of it. Veggies from white radish, taro, leafy greens, green beans, and eggplant can all go into this dish. It makes sinigang not just filling, but also incredibly healthy as well.

The Best Soup Dish of 2021

According to TasteAtlas in 2021, they acknowledged sinigang as one of the best soup dish in the world! The savory, yet sour soup came top place with a 4.63 rating.

TasteAtlas, a website dedicated to appreciating and celebrating traditional food globally, described sinigang as unique and truly representative of the Philippines and its native cuisine.

Ingredients

Pork: For this pork sinigang, I used thick chunks of cubed pork belly. It has a great amount of fat, and overall it’s one of the most flavorful cuts for sinigang. You may also pork shoulder, pork butt, pork ribs, or even pork neck bones for this recipe.

*A note about the pork neck bones: This was my mom’s favorite variation of pork sinigang. You can get these specifically cut by your butcher if you request for it. Also known as “Buto-buto sinigang” (literally meaning “bone-bone sinigang), the bones lend the soup a deep, rich pork flavor. You may need to blanch the pork prior to cooking the dish as many impurities tend to leave the bones, which can cause a very cloudy soup with an off-taste.

Tamarind (sampalok): Tamarind is what will give our sinigang their characteristic tang. This is one of the traditional souring agents for sinigang. There are many different options to choose for this one, ranging from the paste, the whole tamarinds themselves, down to the pulp. I’ve covered a bit on how to navigate this ingredient in the next section below (see: What Tamarind to use for Sinigang?)

Pork bouillon cube: Adding a pork bouillon cube into the soup will help make the sinigang more savory and further intensify the deep pork flavor.

Fish sauce: Fish sauce will act as one of the main salt components of this dish. You may add more or less if needed. If choosing to omit, you may substitute with more salt.

Tomato, onion: Tomato and onion are one of the very first vegetables we’ll add into the soup. It will form the basis of the sinigang; where the tomatoes provide a touch of sourness, and the onions lend a mild pungent, sweet flavor.

Taro (gabi), white radish (labanos), Chinese eggplant, leafy greens, string beans, okra: These are some of the most common vegetables you’ll typically see in sinigang.

*A note about “leafy greens”: If you look online for recipes of sinigang, you’ll see an array of different greens used for the soup. Choose one that you like, and put it in the soup. You can use anything from water spinach (kang kong), yam leaves, bok choy (pechay), napa cabbage, or even lettuce.

Interestingly enough, some grocers will actually package most of the vegetables you’d need for sinigang without you having to do all the prep-work!

Chili peppers: Whole chilies are added to the soup to give a mellow spice, but we don’t typically break them open as to not overpower the rest of the dish with its spicy flavor (unless, of-course, you like your sinigang on the hotter side). Green finger chilies are typically used for sinigang, though you may also use whole Thai chilies, Serrano, or Jalapeño as easy substitutes.

What Kind of Tamarind Should I Use?

There are typically 4 main forms in which tamarind can be used for sinigang: whole; pulp; concentrate/paste; or as a powdered soup base.

For the sake of this recipe, I went for the tamarind concentrate/paste. I’m aware that some cities may not have the luxury of finding this, so I made a quick overview on how to prepare each kind of tamarind that you might stumble upon in the grocery.

Whole tamarinds: This is one of the traditional methods to prepare sinigang (if you’re able to get a hold of whole young tamarinds, I’m jealous). Simply boil the whole tamarinds in just enough water to fully submerge the pods. Let them boil for about 45-60 minutes until they’ve softened, then simply pass the softened tamarinds through a sieve or strainer to extract the paste.

Pulp: You can find tamarind pulp shaped in blocks and wrapped in plastic. To prepare, pull apart the pulp into small chunks. Place the chunks in a heatproof bowl and pour in just enough boiling water to cover. Let the pulp sit in the hot water for about 20-30 minutes. Once the pulp has softened, pass the liquid through a sieve or strainer to extract the paste.

Concentrate/Paste: You can find this concentrate being sold at some Asian groceries. This is one of the easiest methods as it requires no boiling, no steeping, and no straining. Simply measure out however much tamarind paste you need for the recipe and pour it into the soup.

Tamarind powdered soup base: I added this in because this is typically one of, if not the most, popular way sinigang is prepared. These tamarind soup mixes have everything: the tamarind flavor, salt, and seasonings. Their popularity comes from their accessibility and simplicity to prepare.

Instructions

In a large pot, combine together the 5 cups of water, tomatoes, and onions. Bring to a boil, then let the vegetables simmer for 5-10 minutes until softened.

Add in the pork belly, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and pork bouillon cube. Stir to combine. Place the lid on, and let this simmer for 45 minutes until the pork is tender.

During this time, be sure to scoop off any scum and/or excess oils that may float to the surface.

After 45 minutes, add in the taro and white radish. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes until the taro and white radish soften.

Add in the eggplant, string beans, leafy greens, okra, and green finger chilies. Let simmer for an additional 2-5 minutes to just briefly cook the vegetables.

Taste the soup. Season with more salt, fish sauce, or with additional tamarind paste to preference. Serve warm with rice. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

• Not all the veggies cook at the same time: Timing is key for cooking the veggies in sinigang. Add them too early, and the veggies become mushy and overcooked. Add them too late, and the veggies don’t have a chance to soften and they retain their unpleasant bitterness.
• You may blanch the pork to get a clearer broth: Since I used pork belly for this recipe, I didn’t bother blanching them since the end result doesn’t get altered that much anyways. If you were using pork with bones, however, such as with pork ribs or pork neck bones, I’d highly suggest blanching them first to remove any other impurities, gunk, and blood that can alter the taste of your sinigang.

How to Serve

Pork sinigang is most commonly served warm with a bowl of rice.

For a more authentic Filipino way of eating, serve the sinigang and rice with a side of fish sauce to briefly dip the meat in before every bite!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftover Sinigang?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Anything past a few days will cause it to spoil as the high acidity of the soup can begin to degrade the pork and veggies.

To reheat, you can simply heat the sinigang in the microwave or over stovetop until the soup is hot and returns to liquid state and the pork is fully warmed-through.

Looking for more delicious comfort foods? Here’s a few that you might enjoy:

• Khao Soi
• Lugaw (Filipino Rice Porridge)
• Hong Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)
• Filipino Kabocha Soup