Sinigang is finally getting the attention it so greatly deserves! These are the different kinds of sinigang that every Filipino knows and loves
Taste Atlas recently ranked our very own sinigang as the top contender for international vegetable soups! The renowned travel and food guide rated it a 4.8 out of 5, having beat out Turkey's mercimek çorbasi(lentil soup), and Lithuania's saltibarsciai (cold beet soup).
Sinigang, which is a Filipino soup or stew, is a popular recipe that's distinct in its strong flavour profile. It is characterised by a strong, sour taste, often associated with tamarind (sampalok); though of course, tamarind isn't the only souring agent used in this time-honoured recipe.Much like the cuisine in general, sinigangis versatile, with a different take from every household.
Generally,sinigangcan be classified according to two different ways: the soup base or souring agent used ("sinigang sa") and the meat or vegetable that is cooked through the soup base ("sinigang na"). The most popular variations of "sinigang na" includemanok (chicken),baboy (pork),baka (beef), isda(fish, usuallybangusor milkfish), andhipon (shrimp). Some like to mix different kinds of meat together—especially seafood—and throw in shrimp, crab, and squid altogether.
Of course, vegetables are also a popular alternative (as it was for Taste Atlas). This recipe is usually hallmarked by local greens such assitaw (string bean), okra,kang-kong (water spinach), or the like.
Check out some of the "sinigang sa" variations below!
Read more: 5 Native Filipino Liquors, Spirits, And Wine
FAQs
But sinigang broth can also be made with other souring agents like bayabas or guava, kamias or bilimbi, and batwan or binukaw. Fruits can also be used as souring agents, particularly green mangoes, santol or cotton fruit, pineapples, and citrusy fruits like calamansi and lemon.
What are the souring agents of sinigang? ›
These souring agents include unripe mangoes, rice vinegar, butterfly tree leaves (alibangbang), citruses (including the native calamansi and biasong), santol, bilimbi (kamias or iba), gooseberry tree fruits (karmay), binukaw fruits (also batuan), and libas fruits, among others.
What are the ingredients in sinigang mix? ›
Ingredients. Iodized Salt, Food Acid (Citric), Falvor Enhancer (MSG), Tamarind, Wheat Flour, Thickener (Xanthan), Sugar, Taro, Tomato, Onion, Natural Flavor, Shrimp, Palm Oil, Spices, Color (Caramel).
What are the elements found in sinigang? ›
Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup dish prepared with tamarind and meats like pork belly, gabi, beef, chicken, pork ribs, fish and prawns. It's often also also made with different vegetables like kangkong, taro, radish, green beans, okra, bok choi, green chillies, tomatoes and eggplant.
What is a souring agent? ›
A fruit, herb or dairy product that is used to alter the flavor of foods to lighten overly sweet flavors or to lighten the intense heat of spicy ingredients. Souring Agents are commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking for a variety of foods and curries.
Which acid is souring agent? ›
The sour taste of foods and beverages is largely due to organic acids, including acetic, citric, malic, and fumaric acids in fruits and vegetables and tartaric acid in wine. Dilute solutions of many inorganic acids also taste sour. One example is the phosphoric acid in cola beverages.
How to make sinigang less sour? ›
You shouldn't need any added sugar for this, but if the soup feels too sour, you can add a little sugar to balance. Serve with jasmine rice!
Is sinigang mix healthy or unhealthy? ›
Sinigang: Many Filipino households serve sinigang as a comfort food, especially at dinner when tired family members arrive from school or work to the wafting smell of hot tamarind soup with pork or fish. However, try to avoid using instant sinigang mix as it contains chemicals that can harm the kidney with regular use.
What is sinigang broth made of? ›
It is a soup made in a tamarind broth, which gives it its sour taste. You can use chicken, pork, and even shrimp to make sinigang. Then add any vegetables you want to round it out.
What is the main nutrients in sinigang? ›
Nutrition Facts
- Total Fat 47g. 60%
- Saturated Fat 15g. 75%
- Total Carbs 10g. 4%
- Net Carbs 9g.
- Dietary Fiber 1g. 4%
- Total Sugars 2g.
One of the things that makes Sinigang unique is the use of tamarind as the main souring agent. Tamarind is a leguminous tree that produces a pod-like fruit. The pulp inside the pods is used to make a sour paste that's used to flavor Sinigang.
Why is sinigang the best? ›
Served piping hot, sinigang is known to bring comfort and warmth to Filipinos within and outside the Philippines. “With its sour lightness perfectly matching the harsh tropical heat of the country, sinigang is a unique soup that is a true representative of Filipino cuisine,” Taste Atlas wrote.
Is vinegar a souring agent? ›
Vinegar is typically the primary souring agent but often cooks and chefs alike will add other ingredients such as Calamansi or tamarind to lighten and give freshness to the recipe - but keeping the acidity that makes this dish famous.
Is tomato a souring agent? ›
Yes, tomatoes—both green and red—are natural souring agents commonly used in cuisines around the world. They add tangy and umami flavors to dishes.
What is an example of souring? ›
to (cause to) become unpleasant or unfriendly: Her whole attitude to life soured as a result of that experience. This incident has soured relations between the two countries. spoilDon't spoil the movie by telling me what happens!
How do you make sinigang less sour? ›
You shouldn't need any added sugar for this, but if the soup feels too sour, you can add a little sugar to balance. Serve with jasmine rice!
What are souring agents in Indian cooking? ›
Tamarind: Tamarind is the most commonly used souring agent in Indian cuisine because it is widely available and easily accessible in typical tropical climate that exists in India. The Indian tamarind is supposed to be pretty sour while the Thai tamarind is quite sweet. Tamarind is an effective souring agent.
What gives food sour taste? ›
Sour taste is elicited by both organic acids, including lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid and acetic acid, and inorganic acids, such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid [19].
