The Philippines' beloved sour tamarind soup — pork ribs with vegetables in a bright, tangy tamarind broth. Refreshing, comforting and deeply Filipino.
Sinigang is the dish Filipinos crave most when away from home — a sour, clear broth made with pork (or shrimp, fish or beef), soured with tamarind (most commonly), calamansi, green mango or bilimbi. The sourness is the defining characteristic; it should be assertive and refreshing, not mild. The broth is loaded with vegetables: water spinach (kangkong), long beans, tomatoes, radish (labanos), eggplant and okra. Sinigang is served as a main course with steamed white rice — diners use the broth as both soup and sauce, spooning it over their rice. The dish represents Filipino cuisine's love of sour flavours (kinaasim), which contrasts with sweet and savory notes in other dishes. Rooted in the everyday cooking of Filipino kitchens, Sinigang na Baboy (Filipino Sour Pork Soup) balances technique and tradition: the pork ribs or pork belly, cut into pieces is treated with care, drawing on time-honoured ratios that locals have refined across generations. The dish carries an unmistakable sensory signature — aromas that fill the kitchen as it cooks, layered textures that reveal themselves bite by bite, and a depth of flavour that comes from patient seasoning rather than shortcuts. Whether served as a weeknight dinner or as the centrepiece of a celebratory table, it reflects a regional pantry where local produce, seasoning habits and cooking vessels shape the final result. Home cooks who make this dish often note how forgiving it is once the core method is understood, and how a few small choices — the freshness of the pork ribs or pork belly, cut into pieces, the order of additions, the resting time at the end — separate a good version from a memorable one. This recipe walks through those choices so the dish arrives with the character it has on its home turf.
Sert 6
Place pork, tomatoes and onion in a large pot with 2 litres water. Bring to a boil, skim foam thoroughly, then simmer for 45 minutes until pork is tender.
Add tamarind paste (or sinigang mix) and fish sauce. Stir and taste — the broth should be clearly sour. Add more tamarind if needed.
Add radish and eggplant. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add long beans and cook 3 minutes. Add water spinach, stir and turn off the heat — it wilts in the residual heat.
Ladle into bowls and serve with steamed white rice. Fish sauce with chilli is served on the side for dipping the meat.
Don't skip the skimming step — foam from the pork makes the broth cloudy and bitter.
Taste the broth for sourness before adding vegetables — this is the foundation of the dish.
Kangkong (water spinach) wilts instantly — add at the very end off the heat.
Source the freshest pork ribs or pork belly, cut into pieces you can find — it is the flavour anchor of the dish.
Season in layers as you go; tasting at each stage prevents a flat or over-salted final result.
Sinigang na hipon: replace pork with large prawns (shrimp). Reduce cooking time significantly.
Sinigang na salmon belly: salmon belly fat enriches the broth beautifully.
Sinigang sa miso: add white miso paste to the broth for a deeper, umami-rich version.
Vegetarian: replace the main protein with mushrooms, paneer, tofu or hearty beans for a meat-free version.
Spicier: add fresh chilli, a chilli paste or a pinch of cayenne with the aromatics for a warmer profile.
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently — don't add more vegetables, which become soggy.
Sinigang reflects the indigenous Filipino love of souring agents — a technique predating Spanish colonisation. The word comes from 'sigang' meaning 'to cook in sour broth'. Its sour profile distinguishes Filipino cuisine from neighbouring Southeast Asian countries where sweet-savory flavour profiles dominate.
Yes — most components hold well in the fridge for a day or two. Reheat gently with a splash of liquid to bring it back to life.
If pork ribs or pork belly, cut into pieces is hard to find, the closest substitutes share its texture and water content. Adjust seasoning slightly since substitutes often carry less character of their own.
It follows the most widely accepted home-cook template. Regional variants exist and we note the main ones in the variations section.
Usually under-seasoning or rushing the aromatic stage. Build flavour in layers, taste as you go, and finish with a touch of acid or salt to brighten the dish.
Par portion · 6 portions totales
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