Sour Soups: Sinigang and more

Sinigang is basically nilaga, soured with a fruit and vegetable, but never vinegar. While the Tagalog
sinigang, usually soured with sampalok (tamarind), seems to be the most prominent.

In the VIsayas, there is ‘tinowa’, a seafood soup milder in acidity than sinigang, gently soured with
tomatoes to highlight the freshness of the seafood.

‘Larang’ from Cebu is made with lots of tart kamias.

In Palawan, a sour soup of meat or seafood is named ‘inasleman’.

In Pampanga, a soup soured in guava is called ‘bulanglang’.

In western Visayas, there is Kansi; a boiled beef soup soured with batuan; a tiny green fruit native to
the region.

In Bicol, ‘calamansi’ or ‘dayap’ sours the local soup, mostly made with fish and more popularly known
as cocido.

Sinigang in Bulacan is soured with green mangoes, small mango leaf shoots or santol.

Sinampalukang manok is a version of sinigang cooked with chicken, tamarind leaves and flowers, and
chicken blood.

Papaitan uses beef or goat stomach, made sour with tamarind or kamias, and rendered bitter as the
animal’s bile is mixed into the broth.

Pesa is another mildly sour soup, usually referring to cooking fish, specifically ‘pesang isda’. Water from
washing rice is used instead of just plain water for soup.

Sinigang Agents (Pampaasim)

A variety of local fruits are used to produce nuanced degrees of acidity and fruitiness in sinigang, with
the most common being unripe sampalok (tamarind fruit). The chosen souring agent gives each
sinigang its particular character; fruity and floral or tangy and citrusy.

Pineapple

Pingol-bato or begonia

Alibangbang

Mango

Tamarind flower

Dayap

Guava

Miso

Batuan
Calamansi

Tamarind

Tomato

Santol

Kamias

Activity 4

Recipe: Sinigang na buto-buto na may gabi

Description: Tamarind soured pork soup with taro

Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients:

6 cups of water

1 kilo pork neck bones

1 medium onion, diced

2 slices ginger

3 medium tomatoes, quartered

1 cup diced gabi (taro root)

1 medium radish, sliced diagonally

3 siling pangsigang (green finger chilies)

Fish sauce to taste

5 to 8 okra

2 eggplants, sliced

3 cups kangkong or bok choy, leaves separated and stems chopped

Fresh tamarind puree or crush tamarind

Procedure:

1. In a pot with water, add neck bones and bring to simmer. Skim off scum on the surface and cook for
30 minutes.

2. Add onions, ginger, tomatoes, and gabi. Cook until the pork is tender.
3. Add radish and siling pangsigang. Season with fish sauce and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add okra and eggplants and cook for 1 minute. Then add kangkong

5. Add tamarind puree or chrushed tamarind and adjust seasoning to your preference

6. Turn off heat and let sit for 1 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.