Sinigang Na Baboy (Pork in Sour Broth)

There’s a reason every Filipino family has their own version of sinigang na baboy. It’s the dish that says “welcome home."

Pork ribs go into the pot with water, tomatoes, onion, and tamarind, then simmer until the meat is fall-apart tender and the broth turns gloriously sour.

The trick is mashing the softened tamarind back into the liquid, which gives the soup its signature tang and silky body.

Daikon radish and green beans go in near the end for a bit of bite, and a generous pile of spinach wilts right off the heat so it stays bright green.

Ladle it over a steaming mound of white rice and let the broth soak in.

Variations

• Swap pork for beef brisket, shank, or stewing cuts and extend the simmer time until fork-tender
• Use mustard greens, watercress, or cabbage in place of spinach for a different leafy finish
• Substitute tamarind powder or sinigang mix if fresh tamarind pods are hard to find

Chef Tips

• Mash the boiled tamarind with a fork in a small bowl of broth, then strain the pulp back into the pot for maximum sourness
• Add the spinach off the heat and cover for 5 minutes. Residual heat does the work without overcooking
• This soup improves overnight as the pork and tamarind flavors meld together