Sinigang na Baboy
Sinigang na baboy is without a doubt, simply delicious! A hearty Filipino pork soup with tender pork, vegetables and tamarind broth. Pair it with steamed rice and you’re good to go!
It’s considered by most, including us, as an all-time favorite comfort food. Sinigang na baboy in a cold or rainy day is the ideal pork soup dish to warm you up. It’s a stew recipe I thought my husband because It’s simple to make but delivers awesome flavors!
What is Sinigang?
Singang by definition is the process of cooking and not a term for the dish. Roughly translated to “stewed in sour soup” and can include any choice of protein like pork, beef, fish, shrimp or chicken. It is not complete without adding a variety of vegetables where the most common are taro (gabi), string beans (sitaw), water spinach (kangkong) and radish.
A souring agent is used to make the sour broth. To make it more easier, a packet of sinigang mix or powdered tamarind is added. For a more traditional approach some make use of fresh tamarind, kamias (bilimbi), green mango, guava, santol or calamansi. Salt is also an essential ingredient to balance out the sourness of the dish.
Other vegetables you can use
Aside from the vegetables I mentioned above, you can also use the following vegetables to add or substitute to this classic Filipino soup which is sinigang na baboy.
- Okra (lady finger)
- Eggplant
- Winged beans or sigarilyas
- Baguio beans
What pork cuts to use for sinigang?
Just like with cooking adobo, you can choose what cut of pork to use. I used pork belly for this pork sinigang recipe but you can also use other cuts as you fancy. Pork ribs really work great since the bones add more richness to the stew. Pork butt and pork shoulder are also good to use but are leaner and less flavorful.
Essential Ingredients for Pork Sinigang
You know what pork cut to use and which vegetables to add but here are the essentials to make a top-notch pork sinigang.
- Tomatoes and Onion – gives the base soup color, bit of sweetness and of course helps build flavor.
- Long green chili peppers – are optional but highly recommended to add a bit of heat to the dish.
- Salt – balances the sourness of the soup but you can also use fish sauce as an alternative.
- Vegetables – as we know are healthy and completes the stew dish. It’s entirely up to you and your preference which to use.
- Sinigang mix – is a game changer as it makes cooking sinigang easier but you can also use tamarind paste or fresh tamarind pods.
Can I cook sinigang in a pressure cooker/instapot?
Yes, you can if you prefer. It’s unconventional but actually cuts cooking time especially if you are using pork ribs. This way of cooking sinigang is good if you not in the mood to spend too much time in the kitchen.
How to serve and Store?
- Serve while hot with a side of steamed rice or on its own. PRO TIP: Use fish sauce with red chilis as dipping sauce for a complete experience!
- To store left-overs, place in an airtight container with lid and refrigerate.
- Refrigerated pork sinigang left-overs are good up to 2-3 days.
- To reheat, place left-overs in a sauce pan until it boils. Add more water and season if needed.
Tips for an amiable experience
- When boiling the pork to tenderize, remove the scum that rises on top of the pot for a clear and light sour broth.
- You can also try sautéing the onions, tomatoes and pork in oil before adding water to boil. This makes the broth extra rich from the addition of oil.
- To cook using fresh tamarind, boil in a pot with a cup of water until really soft. Mash with fork and strain then let the remaining juice out by pushing a spoon against it. Add the tamarind juice to the cooking pot when pork is soft and vegetables are semi-done.
You may also like
- Tinolang Tahong is the Filipino version of French Moules Marinière. Fresh mussels cooked in refreshing ginger broth. Enjoy this delicious mussels dish in just a few easy steps.
- Tinolang Manok is a Filipino chicken soup that is usually served as an appetizer or main entrée. It’s a healthy and delicious chicken-ginger dish that is perfect to cook for the family.
- Sinigang na Salmon – This hearty Salmon head stew is a flavor-packed! It’s a warm, hearty, delicious dish that pretty much everyone loves. Enjoy this salmon in sour-soup that you can make under 30 minutes!
Sinigang na Baboy
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork belly (cut into 1 1/2 in X 1 1/2 in cubes)
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 1 large tomato (quartered)
- 3 pch taro
- 1 bunch string beans (cut to 2 inches long)
- 1 bunch water spinach (stems removed)
- 3 pcs okra (tips removed)
- 1 small radish (peeled and sliced)
- 2 pcs long green chili peppers
- 1 packet sinigang mix
Instructions
- Place water in a pot and add pork belly and salt. Cover pot with lid and boil in medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until pork is browned.1 kg pork belly, 6 cups water, 1 tbsp salt
- Add onion and tomato, cover the pot with lid then continue boiling for 10 minutes.1 medium onion, 1 large tomato
- Tip in taro then cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes or until taro is a bit soft.3 pch taro
- Add sinigang mix and stir to incorporate then add the radish, string beans, green chili peppers and okra. Cook until vegetables are soft.1 bunch string beans, 3 pcs okra, 1 small radish, 2 pcs long green chili peppers, 1 packet sinigang mix
- Place water spinach in the pot and cover with lid and cook until water spinach are limp.1 bunch water spinach
- Gently stir to distribute ingredients and remove from heat. Serve and enjoy. Bon appetit!
