Chef-tested recipe
A deeply savoury, tamarind-sour pork soup with taro and traditional Filipino vegetables
Sinigang na baboy is a beloved Filipino soup built around a clean, appetising sourness. This from-scratch version combines pork spare ribs and belly with ripe tamarind extract, tomatoes, onion, fish sauce, taro, daikon, eggplant, yardlong beans, okra, kangkong, and whole green chillies. Add the vegetables in stages so each retains its proper texture and adjust the tamarind only after the pork broth is fully developed.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 8 servings
- Prep Time
- 35 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 30 mins
- Total Time
- 2 hours 5 mins
- Cuisine
- Filipino
- Course
- Soups and stews
- Cooking Method
- Stovetop simmering and fresh-tamarind extraction
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best Served With
- Best served with steamed jasmine rice, fish sauce with sliced chilli, calamansi or lime, and a simple tomato-and-onion salad.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Large heavy stockpot with lidpaid link
- Fine-mesh sievepaid link
- Heatproof mixing bowlpaid link
- Ladlepaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Vegetable peelerpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the pork broth
- Pork spare ribs, cut into serving pieces: 1200 g
- Pork belly, cut into 4 cm pieces: 600 g
- Cold water: 2500 ml
- Yellow onion, quartered: 300 g
- Ripe tomatoes, quartered: 500 g
- Fish sauce: 100 ml Shop paid link
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 12 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 4 g
For the fresh tamarind extract
- Fresh ripe tamarind pulppaid link: 250 g
- Hot water: 750 ml
For the vegetables
- Taro root, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces: 500 g
- Daikon radish, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces: 500 g
- Asian eggplant, cut into 4 cm pieces: 500 g
- Yardlong beans, cut into 5 cm lengthspaid link: 300 g
- Okra, trimmed: 300 g
- Kangkong leaves and tender stems: 500 g
- Whole long green chillies: 40 g
Preparation Overview
Cut the pork and vegetables into even pieces. Wear gloves while peeling taro if your skin is sensitive, and wash the knife and board afterward. Soak the tamarind pulp in hot water, ready to mash and strain once softened.
Method
Place the pork ribs and belly in a large stockpot with the cold water and bring slowly to a boil.
Skim the foam thoroughly, then add the onion, tomatoes, half of the fish sauce, salt, and black pepper.
Partly cover and simmer gently for 45 to 55 minutes until the pork is nearly tender, skimming when necessary.
Meanwhile, soak the tamarind pulp in the hot water for 15 minutes, mash it thoroughly, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard the seeds and fibres.
Add the taro to the pork broth and simmer for 12 minutes until nearly tender. Mash one or two pieces against the pot to give the broth light body.
Add the daikon and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour in the strained tamarind extract, then add the eggplant, yardlong beans, okra, and whole green chillies.
Simmer for 7 to 9 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not collapsing.
Add the kangkong and remaining fish sauce, press the leaves into the broth, and cook for 2 minutes.
Taste and adjust the balance with salt, fish sauce, or a little more tamarind if available, then serve piping hot.
Beginner Technique Notes
Keep the pork at a gentle simmer after skimming; a hard boil makes the broth cloudy and can toughen the meat.
Tamarind varies in acidity, so add most of the extract first and fine-tune the sourness at the end.
Taro must be cooked thoroughly. Raw or undercooked taro can irritate the mouth and skin.
Add kangkong last because its leaves wilt quickly and should stay green.
Tips and Variations
For a leaner soup, replace the pork belly with additional ribs or shoulder.
Gabi, the Filipino taro, naturally thickens the broth when one or two cooked pieces are mashed.
Water spinach may be replaced with bok choy when kangkong is unavailable.
Serve extra fish sauce mixed with sliced chilli at the table so diners can season their bowls individually.
Serving Ideas
- Divide pork, taro, and vegetables evenly among large bowls, pour over the tart broth, and place steamed rice alongside rather than in the soup.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat to at least 74°C without prolonged boiling, which can overcook the vegetables. Freeze the pork and broth for up to 2 months; fresh vegetables are best added after thawing.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains fish from fish sauce. Raw or undercooked taro can cause irritation, so cook it completely. Check bottled fish sauce for additional allergens or cross-contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What gives pork sinigang its sour flavour?
This version uses strained fresh ripe tamarind pulp rather than powdered soup mix.
How sour should sinigang be?
It should taste distinctly tart but balanced by the savoury pork broth, tomatoes, and fish sauce.
Can I make sinigang without taro?
Yes, but the broth will be lighter. Potato can provide substance, though it will not thicken the soup in quite the same way.
Why are the vegetables added in stages?
Taro and daikon need longer cooking, while eggplant, beans, okra, and kangkong become soft much faster.
