Pork Sinigang/ Filipino Pork in Tamarind Soup

Pork Sinigang or Filipino Pork in Tamarind Soup is my favorite and ultimate comfort food no matter the season. Imagine tender chunks of pork in sour tamarind broth with tomatoes and onions paired with okra, eggplant, radish and water spinach. In the summer, the tartness of the soup quenches the thirst brought by the heat. In the winter, it warms every bone in your body with the hearty pork broth. I love me some pork and I love me some vegetables, this dish just makes my heart flutter every time. The sourness of the broth is balanced by the natural sweetness of the vegetables and the savory taste of the pork, making it a delicious and nutritious meal that is loved by most.

In the Philippines we use different fresh souring agents than just vinegar- the trusty tamarind, in the region where I came from we have batuan and you can only find it there. Unripe guava, unripe mangoes, pineapples are among of a few examples that are being used as souring agents. The different souring-agents interact with the dish in different ways. In this recipe, we will be using the tamarind soup mix packet and we’ll also be experimenting with different versions of this in the future!

Let’s get right into it! Let’s make some sinigang! Can be made through Instant Pot or through traditional stock pot. There’s instructions for both below.

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Pork Sinigang / Filipino Pork in Tamarind Soup

Recipe by Madi

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

210

kcal

Sinigang is one of the beloved recipes in the Philippines and I’m so excited to share this with you. Please note, the cooking time will vary depending on your choice of cookware – it’s 50 mins for the Instant Pot and 75-80 mins using the traditional stock pot.

This sinigang will have a lot of vegetables, I like to keep mine that way. If you prefer a more meaty sinigang, adjust the measurements for the veggies.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Pork, cubed. I like to use a combination of pork ribs and pork butt

• 6 cups water

• 1 onion, big dice

• 2-3 big tomatoes, diced

• 1 cup White radish, sliced

• 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced

• 12 pcs Okra, halved

• 8 Chinese long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1 bunch Water spinach or bokchoy

• 1 packet (1.41 oz) Knorr Tamarind Soup Mix

• 2-3 Tsp. fish sauce

• 1 Tbsp. avocado oil

• salt and pepper

• For the brave:

• 1 1/2 tsp shrimp paste

• For those looking for a kick to the tang:

• 1 banana pepper or chili

• Instant Pot Instructions
• Turn on the instant pot in sauté mode. When ready, add the cooking oil.
• Sauté the onions, until almost translucent, add the tomatoes until almost tender, add the pork and cook until the outer parts look brown.
• Add 1 tsp fish sauce, some pepper, and 6 cups of water – the water should cover the pork. *You won’t need the fish sauce if you’re using shrimp paste.
• Pressure cook at high for 18 minutes. This will get the meat to that perfect tenderness.
• When done pressure cooking, trigger the instant pot’s quick release, put the instant pot in sauté mode, add the Tamarind Mix, the radish and the long beans, mix altogether. Cover and let cook for about 4 – 5 minutes.
• If using the shrimp paste, this would be the best time to add it.
• Add the eggplant and okra ang cook for another 2 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, add more fish sauce if you need more umami.
• Add the water spinach or bokchoy and banana pepper for another minute.
• Serve.
• 
  Stock Pot Instructions
• Heat the stock pot. Add in oil when hot.
• Sauté the onions, until almost translucent, add the tomatoes until almost tender, add the pork and cook until the outer parts look brown.
• Add 1 tsp fish sauce, some pepper, and 6 cups of water – the water should cover the pork. *You won’t need the fish sauce if you’re using shrimp paste.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until pork is tender.
• Add the Tamarind Mix, the radish and the long beans, mix altogether. Cover and let cook for about 4 – 5 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and okra ang cook for another 2 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, add more fish sauce if you need more umami.
• Add the water spinach or bokchoy and banana pepper for another minute.
• Serve.

Notes

• This sinigang will have a lot of vegetables, I like to keep mine that way. If you prefer a more meaty sinigang, adjust the measurements for the veggies.
• Nutritional Information: Serving size: 1 cup Calories per serving: 210, Total Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 750mg, Total Carbohydrates: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Total Sugars: 5g, Protein: 18g, Vitamin D: 0mcg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 3mg, Potassium: 600mg
• _{**Note that these values are estimates and may vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands you use. Additionally, the tamarind soup mix may contain added sodium and sugar, so it is important to consider this when looking at the overall sodium and sugar content of the dish.}