Sinigang na Baboy (Filipino Tamarind Sour Pork Rib Soup)
Quick answer
Sinigang na baboy is a Filipino sour soup that appears on family tables across the Philippines with the comforting regularity of a weekly ritual.
What makes this special
- Sinigang na Baboy utilizes a tangy tamarind base for its savory Filipino pork rib soup.
- Tamarind paste gives the broth a sharp, clean sourness throughout
- Pork ribs soaked 10 minutes and skimmed for a clear, clean broth
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Soak 700 g pork ribs in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinse well.
- 2 Put the ribs and 1600 ml water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- 3 Add 1 onion and 2 tomatoes in large pieces, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.
Sinigang na baboy is a Filipino sour soup that appears on family tables across the Philippines with the comforting regularity of a weekly ritual. Pork ribs are simmered until the meat loosens from the bone, then the broth is sharpened with tamarind - either fresh pods pounded and strained, or a spoonful of tamarind paste for convenience. Tomatoes, onions, and daikon radish go in early and soften into the broth, while eggplant, long green beans, finger chilies, and leafy greens like water spinach are added toward the end so they keep their color and bite. The resulting broth is clear, tart, and savory all at once, with the pork fat adding a subtle richness beneath the acidity. Filipinos ladle the soup generously over steamed rice, and the sourness is said to sharpen the appetite rather than satisfy it, which explains why second helpings are almost mandatory.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Soak 700 g pork ribs in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinse well.
Check the bones with your fingers and remove loose bone dust, dark clots, or large pieces of fat before cooking.
- 2Control
Put the ribs and 1600 ml water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once it bubbles strongly, lower to medium heat and skim foam carefully so the broth stays clear.
- 3Control
Add 1 onion and 2 tomatoes in large pieces, then simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes.
Keep only a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the pork flavors the broth without clouding it.
- 4Control
Cut 250 g daikon into thick pieces and add it to the pot.
Simmer about 10 minutes more, until a chopstick can enter with slight resistance and the edges look just translucent.
- 5Season
Dissolve 3 tbsp tamarind paste into a ladle of hot broth, then stir it back in.
Season with 2 tbsp fish sauce, taste, and add only 1 more tbsp tamarind if the sourness is too mild.
- 6Finish
Add 2 long green chilies and simmer for only 3 minutes so their aroma stays fresh.
Serve when the meat has loosened slightly from the bone and the broth tastes bright, savory, and clear over rice.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
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