Pork Sinigang: Filipino Tamarind Soup with Vegetables
Recipe Guy
Filipino soup | Tamarind broth | Comfort food
Pork sinigang needs time for the meat and very little patience from the greens. Tamarind sharpens the broth, tomatoes round it out, and a staggered addition of daikon, eggplant, beans, and okra keeps the vegetables recognizable in the bowl.
Why make it: this version gives U.S. home cooks a practical path using pork ribs or shoulder, tamarind mix or paste, and vegetables that are easier to find.
Fresh From the Oven
These photos show the sour broth, tender pork, and vegetable mix that make sinigang such a comforting rice-table soup.
About This Recipe
Ribs and shoulder both suit this soup, but their size and tenderness determine when the vegetables can go in. Let the pork become nearly tender first. Adding everything together would leave the greens exhausted before the meat is ready.
The broth begins with water, onion, and tomatoes rather than a separate stock. Fish sauce supplies salt and savoriness, while tamarind supplies the sourness. Keep those two jobs separate when seasoning, especially if the tamarind mix already contains salt.
This version is written for a U.S. home kitchen, where tamarind soup mix, tamarind paste, daikon, eggplant, green beans, okra, and bok choy are often easier to find than the exact vegetables a family might use in the Philippines.
Why You Will Love It
- Bright sour broth: tamarind gives the soup its signature wake-up tang.
- Comforting with rice: the broth, pork, and vegetables are made to be spooned over rice.
- Flexible vegetables: use long beans, green beans, bok choy, spinach, daikon, eggplant, or okra.
- Easy to adjust: add tamarind gradually so the sourness lands where you like it.
Ingredient Notes
For the pork
Pork ribs make a rich broth. Pork shoulder is easier to cube and eat. A mix works well.
For the broth and vegetables
Tamarind soup mix is common and convenient. Tamarind paste gives more control, but brands vary in strength. Use water spinach if available; bok choy or spinach are practical substitutes for many U.S. grocery stores.
Cooking Notes
- Skim the foam when the pork first comes to a boil, while it is easy to gather. Then lower the heat for the longer simmer with onion and tomatoes.
- Have the vegetables cut before the pork is tender. Daikon goes in first, the chunkier mixed vegetables follow, and the leafy greens need only the final moments in the broth.
Pork Sinigang Recipe
Pork sinigang with tamarind broth, tender pork, and vegetables, written for a U.S. home kitchen with practical substitution notes.
Shopping List
- pork ribs or pork shoulder
- onion
- tomatoes
- fish sauce
- tamarind soup mix or paste
- daikon radish
- eggplant
- long beans or green beans
- okra
- bok choy, spinach, or water spinach
- green chiles, optional
- white rice
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 1/2 pounds pork spare ribs, country-style ribs, or pork shoulder, cut into serving pieces
- 10 cups water
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 3 medium tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 packet tamarind soup mix, or tamarind paste to taste
Vegetables
- 1 small daikon radish, sliced
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into chunks
- 1 cup long beans or green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 okra pods, trimmed
- 2 cups bok choy, spinach, or water spinach
- 1 to 2 green chiles, optional
For Serving
- Steamed rice, for serving
- Fish sauce with sliced chile, optional
Instructions
- Put the pork and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then skim off any foam.
- Add the onion and tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer until the pork is nearly tender, 50 to 70 minutes depending on the cut.
- Stir in the fish sauce and tamarind soup mix, using less at first if you prefer a gentler sourness.
- Add the daikon and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Add the eggplant, long beans, okra, and chiles if using. Simmer until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the leafy greens and cook just until wilted.
- Taste the broth. Add more tamarind for sourness, fish sauce for salt, or water if the broth is too intense.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and extra fish sauce on the side.
Nutrition Estimate
Approximate values per serving based on the listed ingredients and yield. Actual nutrition will vary by brand, exact portion size, and cooking changes.
Tips For The Best Sinigang
- Skim early: removing foam gives the broth a cleaner look and flavor.
- Add vegetables in stages: daikon needs more time than leafy greens.
- Adjust sourness at the end: tamarind strength varies, so taste before adding more.
- Serve with rice: sinigang is meant to be eaten with it.
How To Serve And Store
Serve hot with steamed rice. A small dish of fish sauce with sliced chile is classic for people who want more salt and heat. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently so the vegetables do not overcook further.
Common Questions
Can I use tamarind paste instead of soup mix?
Yes. Start with 2 tablespoons, simmer, then add more to taste.
What vegetables can I substitute?
Try bok choy, spinach, green beans, daikon, eggplant, okra, or even cabbage. The exact mix can vary.
Can I make this less sour?
Yes. Start with half the tamarind, then build the sourness gradually.
Can I use shrimp or fish instead of pork?
Yes, but add seafood much later because it cooks quickly. Build the broth first, then simmer shrimp or fish just until done.
Can tamarind paste replace the soup-mix packet?
Yes, it is a listed option, but paste strength varies. Add it gradually to the broth before the vegetables; do not assume one spoonful of paste equals a packet of seasoned mix.
What if the pork is still firm after the suggested simmer?
Continue simmering the pork before adding daikon or the other vegetables. The stated time is a guide for the meat, and larger shoulder pieces or thick ribs may need longer.
What vegetables do you always want in sinigang? Tell us whether you like the broth gently sour or sharp enough to make you pause.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: pork sinigang methods from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, and Serious Eats, adapted here for a practical U.S. home kitchen.
