Sinigang na Baboy (Filipino Tamarind Pork Soup)

Name: Sinigang na Baboy (Filipino Tamarind Pork Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 900 g pork shoulder (boneless); 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large yellow onion; 2 medium ripe tomatoes; 10 cup water; 300 g gabi (taro); 150 g daikon radish; 200 g eggplant; 4 cup kangkong (water spinach); 2 piece siling haba (long green chiles); 1 packet sinigang mix (tamarind soup base); 2 tbsp patis (fish sauce); 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp sugar; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp scallions; 2 piece calamansi or lime; 2 tbsp cilantro

A comforting, tart pork soup brightened with tamarind — classic Filipino sinigang that’s naturally gluten‑free and built on simple ingredients. Cook it when you want a hearty, sour broth with tender pork and lots of vegetables.

AI image

1 hr 20 min

start to finish

20 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

6 servings

Ingredients

Contains fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

420 kcal30g protein14g carbs26g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Add the pork cubes in a single layer and sear, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on most sides.
Work in batches if needed so pieces brown rather than steam.
Push the pork to the side, add the sliced onion and tomatoes to the pot and sauté until they soften and release juices, about 3 minutes.
Stir the pork, onions and tomatoes together to deglaze any browned bits.
Pour in the water and bring to a strong simmer; skim any foam or scum that rises to the surface with a spoon.
Skimming keeps the broth clearer and cleaner-tasting.
Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook until the pork is tender (check by piercing), about 40 minutes.
Add the gabi (taro) pieces to the pot and simmer, uncovered, until they begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
Add the sliced radish and eggplant, simmer uncovered until the radish is tender and eggplant softened, about 8 minutes.
If using packet sinigang mix: stir it into 1 cup of hot broth in a small bowl to dissolve, then pour back into the pot. If using fresh tamarind: add 1 cup strained tamarind pulp now. Stir to combine and simmer 2–3 minutes.
Taste after adding tamarind mix and adjust — different brands vary in strength.
Stir in fish sauce, sugar (if using) and black pepper, then simmer 1–2 minutes to blend flavors.
Add the kangkong (or spinach) and whole green chiles; cook just until the greens wilt, about 1–2 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce for saltiness or a squeeze of calamansi/lime for extra brightness.
Ladle sinigang into bowls and garnish with scallions and cilantro; serve immediately with steamed rice and extra calamansi on the side.

Worth knowing

If you prefer a thicker broth and more traditional mouthfeel, allow the gabi to break down slightly while simmering — stir gently so it softens but doesn’t completely disintegrate.
If you can get fresh tamarind: simmer 1–1¼ cups shelled tamarind in 1 cup water for 10 minutes, mash, strain, and use the strained liquid instead of packet mix.
Check any commercial sinigang mix for additives if you are strictly avoiding certain ingredients; the classic homemade tamarind route is the simplest way to ensure ingredients.
Substitute pork shoulder with 900 g pork ribs or 900 g pork butt if preferred — adjust simmering time until tender.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Gluten-freeBudget

More Filipino cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Filipino cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free as listed.