What is Sinigang?
Sinigang is a traditional Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory flavor. The dish is typically made with meat (such as pork, beef, or shrimp) or fish, along with a variety of vegetables, and is cooked in a sour broth. The sourness is usually achieved using tamarind, but other souring agents such as calamansi, green mango, or santol can also be used.
Ingredients:
- Protein: Pork, beef, shrimp, fish, or chicken.
- Sour Broth: Tamarind (the most common), calamansi, green mango, or other sour fruits.
- Vegetables: Commonly includes radish, eggplant, water spinach (kangkong), okra, tomatoes, and string beans.
- Seasonings: Fish sauce (patis), salt, and pepper.
Cooking Method:
- Wash tamarind pods under cold, running water to remove any grit or dirt from the skins.
- Place in a saucepan with about 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until soft, and the outer skins begin to burst.
- Using a fork, mash the tamarinds to release the pulp.
- Place the tamarind and liquid in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl.
- Continue to mash with a fork, returning some of the liquid into the strainer once or twice to fully extract the juice.
- Discard seeds and skins.
- Pour tamarind juice into the pot.