Last Night's Dinner #81: Sinigang (Tamarind Soup)

Sinigang [sin-eh-gung] is another Filipino classic. This sour tangy soup stew is traditionally made with pork, shrimp or fish but the leading star is inside this little packet...



Tamarind soup base - I remember fresh tamarinds back in the Philippines but I guess these days it's a lot easier to use powder or tamarind paste.



This recipe is pretty easy and flexible. You'll need:
4 pieces of pork ribs
1 packet of Knorr tamarind soup base (or can be found in any Asian food market)
1 small eggplant (sliced into 1/2" rounds)
1 tomato
a handful of string beans
bakchoy (use Nappa Cabbage if you can't find bakchoy)
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion (cut into quarters)
fish sauce to taste

step 1. Rub salt on the ribs set aside.



step 2. Boil 2 quarts of water, once boiling add 1/2 packet of tamarid soup base, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce (taste it, you may need to add more salt and fish sauce) and mix.

step 3. Add ribs, 1/2 of the tomatoes and 1/2 of the onions to broth and simmer for about one hour (the longer the more tender it will be) with the lid on - maybe a crack of air so it doesn't overflow.



step 4. In the meantime, boil water in a separate pot (enough to cover the eggplant). Boil eggplants until tender. Drain and set aside.



step 5. Once the meat looks like it can easily be ripped off of the bones, add the rest of your veggies (including eggplant) and bring to a boil. Taste it and make sure that it's sour enough. I prefer mine really really sour so I almost finished the entire packet. You can also add a little more fish sauce if the flavor isn't "deep" enough. Turn off the heat once all of the veggies are tender.



Serve with rice.