Filipino Sinigang Sour Soup (Printable Version)
Tangy Filipino soup with tender pork, fresh vegetables, and signature sour broth for comforting warmth.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Protein
01 - 2.2 lbs pork belly or pork ribs, cut into chunks
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
03 - 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
04 - 1 daikon radish, peeled and sliced
05 - 10 string beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 1 eggplant, sliced
07 - 2 cups spinach leaves or kangkong (water spinach), washed
08 - 2 long green chili peppers
→ Flavoring and Seasoning
09 - 1 packet (about 1.4 oz) tamarind soup base mix
10 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
11 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
12 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 6 cups water
# Directions:
01 - In a large stockpot, bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add pork chunks, skimming off any scum or impurities that rise to the surface for a clearer broth.
02 - Add quartered tomatoes and onion to the pot. Simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until pork begins to tenderize.
03 - Stir in sliced daikon radish and continue cooking for 10 minutes until slightly tender but still retaining crunch.
04 - Add eggplant slices, trimmed string beans, and green chili peppers. Simmer for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
05 - Mix in the tamarind soup base, ensuring it dissolves completely. If using fresh tamarind pulp, mash with a small amount of water and strain into the soup.
06 - Season with fish sauce, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to achieve the characteristic savory-tangy balance.
07 - Add spinach or kangkong leaves and simmer for 2–3 minutes until just wilted. Avoid overcooking to maintain vibrant color and texture.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- The soup that cures homesickness with just one spoonful, transporting you straight to a Filipino kitchen
- A perfect balance of sour and savory that warms you from the inside out on cold rainy nights
- Cheap cuts of pork transform into meltingly tender meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork
02 -
- That grey foam while boiling pork is not pretty but skimming it makes the difference between cloudy restaurant broth and the crystal clear soup your lola makes
- Add greens at the very last moment or they turn into sad mushy strings instead of bright tender leaves
03 -
- Let someone else adjust the final seasoning because the cook becomes nose blind to the saltiness after tasting repeatedly
- Make extra rice because Sinigang broth over fresh rice is arguably better than the soup itself