How to Make Sinigang (Pork and Vegetable Soup)

Sinigang is a tangy meat and vegetable soup from the Philippines. This version is based on a dish by Janice Dulce, chef and owner of FOB Kitchen in Oakland, California.
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[@improvisewitme]

This literally brought a tear to my eye. Reminds me of home. I share the same feelings about culture and being embarrassed because I wanted to be like everybody else. As I grew older I wanted to be closer to that culture as the Filipino chef. The chef made me laugh when she said Sinigang again? I can totally relate. Well done test kitchen, well done! 👍

[@rustyfan89]

I was stationed in the Philippines when I was a young Marine many years ago, I think Filipino food is very underrated, I wish I was there when I was older and had a more matured palate and more mature attitude so I didn’t want to just go out and party on my days off, to stop and smell the roses so to speak and really appreciate the culture and food more. My favorite thing to do was get as far away from base as I could to experience the local culture more instead of the Americanized places close to base

[@ruthm8931]

As I have come to expect, Bryan knocks it out of the park with recipes from his travels and I am here for it! Also, I also was so touched listening to this chef sharing her story of her childhood and why she has returned to honor her family, love this!

[@TheOriginalRick]

I grew up a Midwest steak and potatoes kind of kid so it took me quite a while to warm up to sinigang when I married a young Filipina back in 1974. Loved much of the other food she cooked, but struggled with the sourness of the soup. Now it is a regular on-the-table comfort food for us. I prefer the pork ribs version, but Mrs. Rick likes the salmon belly/heads one so that is what we get most of the time. ❤❤❤❤ As a note, country-style pork ribs are great, and sized perfectly out of the package for the soup.

[@sunnydale6727]

This is my son's favorite stew/soup- he's a grown up now and when im visiting he still request me to cook sinigang for him.

[@TheOriginalRick]

Tamarind seems like an exotic ingredient to a lot of folk, but it is really more common in prepared food than they realize. One very common example is Worcestershire sauce. It is a key part of the recipe.

[@jakeMontejo3272]

This is last meal status, my Lola’s specialty, i can eat every week. I use kale because this is the only way Kale taste good to me. Okra is a must and so is tomatoes. I’ve always used the packets because I’m lazy but now I have to try this recipe, ironic that I’m learning it from Americans but my family elders have all passed now. No matter where we are in this country, FOB is a standard we’ve all used to demean our family members who got here from the motherland. Now that I’m older, rather than be embarrassed for what that name means, I’ve embraced it. Great episode.

[@veroniquefaison]

Whenever I think of home or my family, sinigang is my comfort food.

[@roydcruz]

thank you for using a spoon and fork, it's the best way to eat rice with sauce and trimmings!!! I love America's Test Kitchen!!! PS when you eat rice with a spoon, you don't waste any rice 🙂

[@tastyneck]

My company moved to an new office nowhere near to this great little filipino restaurant that I've started to make sinigang at home. It's not the same as their's, obviously, but I'm looking forward to integrating some of the steps of this recipe into my own. Also, really enjoyed and appreciated this video format of travel, interview, and recipe.

[@SewAndTellwithDori]

Nice to see something different for a change! Never heard of sinigang, and it was so interesting to see how a Pilipino stew is made. Doesn't have to be authentic to be a tasty and interesting dish. Thanks, ATK for providing a little Asian cultural cuisine!

[@jay.torres]

This is awesome. Thank you for featuring Filipino cuisine on your channel 🇵🇭

[@MQuadrucci]

the intro made my heart happy; thanks for introducing me to Janis and sinigang!

[@surprisek3918]

This is great seeing and hearing the history behind a recipe. Keep 'em coming!

[@adf8664]

This is great. I really appreciate this approach. It gives depth and context to a recipe that I've never encountered before.

[@acorngirl]

Love that you showed how to eat with a spoon and fork too!

[@Cuca909]

Try cooking it with green mango puree instead of the lemon, much better and add the raddish same time as the other veggies so it wont look so overdone plus you need to add more soup to the rice. This pairs really well with adobo as well.

[@karlsolano59]

Lovely episode. I cook sinigang regularly in our house. I'm excited to try some of the techniques here. ❤

[@opwave79]

Love the segment with Janice! I’m Fil-Am too and can relate to her views on Filipino food growing up. I always wanted hamburgers, lol. Sinigang though, was one dish I always ate when my mom cooked it. She made the seafood version, and I do the same now. Shrimp and fish.

[@dlnnyc64]

Yum… healthy and comforting. Gotta try it!

[@annaguzman7331]

Thank you, ATK, for introducing Sinigang (and Adobo!) to many people out there who have never tried Filipino food. As a Filipino, I can say that you stayed true to the soul of this dish, even mentioning that calamansi is what would traditionally be used because that’s the local citrus most commonly used in Philippine kitchens. Also, instead of plain water many home cooks use “rice wash” - it's the liquid resulting from rinsing rice before cooking. Save this to use in your sinigang. Rice is the perfect accompanying side dish! This recipe looks so delicious I’m excited to try your version. Thank you for spotlighting Filipino cuisine in this video. I hope people enjoy this dish enough to try more Filipino dishes like sisig, pancit, etc. that are just as satisfying.

[@redfullmoon]

Rice wash is for tinola not sinigang. We also don't use calamansi in sinigang. That's weird for most people.

[@nycmto]

Love love sinigang.... def a comfort food and been intimidated to cook it. Delish on a plate of hot white rice!

[@unbiasedbystander8397]

Thanks 🙏 ATK for featuring Food Atlas' Best Soup of the World 2021. Yes, Sinigang is a soup and not a stew. True to Janice Dulce's statement about what is and is not authentic, FOBs/Janice's sinigang is not how I or we prepare it but just like most (if not all) Filipino dishes, each region/province has their own way of tweaking recipes and preparations and adding their own spin (e.g., I haven't had sinigang with ginger or the main protein getting seared). Just the same, thank you for featuring an all time Filipino favorite soup/viand and kudos to Chef Janice Dulce!

[@robylove9190]

This looks so delicious 😋

[@Babypau0115]

This is a very good version of sinigang! Great episode! 👏🏻👍🏼❤

[@midlifemom5829]

Wonderful episode!

[@sunnydale6727]

Thank you Brian for featuring this dish!

[@yellowfr0g]

I appreciate that staff at ATK get the to go on remotes to visit restaurants and come back to present recipes. It's an interesting juxtaposition to Chris Kimball's Milk Street where it's always him that goes on trips and leaves his staff behind.

[@jazzyoffwork]

Love sinagang and the tartness

[@RGisOutOfOffice]

Sinigang is probably one of the easiest soups to make. You can just put everything in one pot, let it boil, simmer, get the meat tender, put the veggies once almost done. Traditionally, the tamarind used are the unripe ones which are still green and not brown (these are already ripe) inside. Those are much much sour. Today, most people would iust use the packet sinigang mix cause using fresh tamarind is a lot more work 😂 instead of pork, fish and shrimp is also commonly used. Fish head (like tuna) is used too in sinigang, and it is delicious. And instead of tamarind, other fruits are also now being used - green mango, guava, even watermelon. You can also add some taro slices to thicken the broth, or even miso..

[@jaysasso4392]

Looks great! If only I could get there!!

[@KGX470]

Yesssss…my guy! You’re using all fresh ingredients and even doing the legit tamarind sauce! Asian moms would be proud of u brother. U can even use chicken for this. Other Asian cultures have their own version of sinigang with less ingredients but tasstes similar. Good job

[@MarVillaN24]

Not a traditional sinigang im used to but i bet it still tastes good and id make it.

[@MrKidrick]

Great episode, Bryan! Please investigate another Filipino classic called "Kare Kare". It's an oxtail stew in flavorful peanut sauce, seasoned with salty shrimp paste and lots of vegetables! You'll love it!

[@philipinovero8887]

Wow masarap.

[@jochiq1117]

Was married to a Filipino and I love their cuisine and sinigang is my favorite! Thank goodness I learned how to make sinigang! Perfect soup for cold and warm weather!

[@gibberishboner8776]

Yum!

[@wesleyballon258]

Wow.

[@jamesinductivo7132]

Sarap

[@colab_stdio]

Wow, watching this at 2am makes me instantly hungry. Well not exactly by the book sinigang but you gave justice to this dish with your own version. And oh it's such a versatile dish that you can also use beef, fish (salmon head, "healthier" version 😉), shrimp or if you're generous prawns with it. The souring ingredient can be versatile too with not only tamarind but with Batuan or Kamias (depending regionally in 🇵🇭 country). Great EP Guys. 😉!!

[@fourthgirl]

Oakland in the house!!!

[@bena4072]

Sinigang! I make it with beef short ribs and calamansi - I add the tomatoes later with the vegetables but I think I’ll try it this way next time with the tomatoes at the start

[@Islandcandies5963]

I love pork sinigang with simple veggies of mustard greens (American or Chinese) and Japanese Daikon as the main vegetables. Any pork cut works, but I think most households use pork butt, pork shoulder, Boston butt or similar. I have never enjoyed pork ribs as it was usually served with boneless pork in restaurants. I don’t favor Fish soup but…….. salmon collar or salmon belly is a delish sinigang.. FOB is on my list, whenever I can make it to Oakland. Hope she opens a FOB 2 in the peninsula or south bay.

[@DoughboyGod]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@msmaupin]

This was lovely and I will try making this! How about ATK seek out and find the best Hoosier pork and bean stew? My late father made this all the time and all I can remember is lots of onions, white beans, ham hock, broth and slow cooking...maybe you can bring this memory into clearer focus for the rest of us? Cheers!

[@celparas9792]

Thanks much! Next Suggestion: TINOLANG MANOK, plssss😶

[@anthonygamit9374]

sinigang is also good with beef short ribs

[@benedictosaguid9421]

MABUHAY ANG FILIPINO FOOD SINIGANG..MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS MABUHAY ANG MGA PILIPINO 💯.

[@robwebnoid5763]

I like Sinigang too. The tamarind is the signature taste, even though you might need to add some different meat (beef, fish, shrimp etc) & vegetables if you don't have all the common sinigang ingredients ... except maybe celery which might change the profile a bit but still ok. It is not Sinigang without that tamarind sourness. I don't put too much ginger in mine & only use it to infuse some flavor in the liquid & not eat its flesh directly. I make this dish every once in a rare while, apart from a few other Filipino recipes & also some mainstream Chinese & Chinese-US cuisine.

[@blastermaster5039]

This. Tamarind is the flavoring indeed. Spices like hot chillies or (ahem) ginger are the second notes. I myself lile my sinigang have a bit of peppery taste and also spicy too. Ginger is just not my taste.

[@rapgsolano]

love how sinigang is getting its time under the global spotlight

[@charliejanssen184]

Personal preference, no ginger in pork sinigang, use green tamarind if you can find it, the ripe tamarind is sweeter. I guess that is why lemon juice was added but I am sure it has a different taste profile. Also, ripe tomatoes are almost always added to the soup. The cooking method is correct and I am pretty sure it is delicious but certainly different.

[@Lockdown22]

ive done the tamarinde paste way and the knoors tamarinde soup base mix, they literally taste the same, dont waste your time just buy the packet lmao its that good.

[@b_uppy]

How long does the tamarind paste last once opened? Love tamarind. Used to find it in my favorite steak sauce.

[@redfullmoon]

So legit sinigang actually uses young, unripe tamarind as its souring agent. Using ripe sweet tamarind or sweet tamarind paste is a more a Thai thing, but it's understandable given the rarity of young unripe tamarinds even in the Philippines. This is also why we just use instant sinigang powder because doing it the traditional way is no longer feasible. As for the ribs, we actually use what we call "sinigang ribs" or the riblets near the upper part towards the shoulder with a bit more cartilage. The long simmering of the cartilage is also what helps give that sticky, gelatinous mouthfeel to long simmered sinigang, similar to a tonkotsu broth. Thai chilis are also too strong for this. Filipino light green "banana chilis" are closer in flavor and heat to green peperoncinos. Ginger in sinigang is also... no. That's for tinola. Not sinigang. Also no calamansi in sinigang.

[@sabremarky15]

🇵🇭 🇵🇭 🇵🇭

[@aquamarine7705]

Sinigang is. a Filipino Pre colonial authentic food. It os called stwed pork in Tamarind Broth.

[@jcle5672]

I don’t put ginger in my pork sinigang. I also use red onion and tomatoes. But still your sinigang looks yummy.

[@normp3273]

Don't forget to Kamay!

[@xNamiChannel]

I thought this was tipunan but fob is also great

[@liamgekzua477]

Bkt naihaw ang baboy .mapait n yun

[@trinathebookworm8977]

As a poor person I might use chicken

[@robwebnoid5763]

You can use basically any meat you want. I have used fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, pig, etc. If you know what traditional sinigang tastes like, that is your reference point. Substituting something like corned beef may not work due to changing the flavor profile too much unless you're ok with that. Chicken is good because it has less fat/cholesterol than pig flesh. Even if some sources might say lard is ok, I still won't risk my health, heh, but I will still use pork on some occasions.

[@edstella]

As another Filipino American: it will be great! Don't worry. Any meat to will work. Filipinos use beef, pork, chicken, fish, lots of any seafood, etc. :)

[@drricky]

Of note: the box says sweet tamarind. That’s because it *isn’t* a sour tamarind - tamarinds come in sour and sweet varieties. Sweet varieties are meant to be eaten out of hand. If you cook a sinigang with sweet tamarind, you may be disappointed. Or at the very least, perplexed.

[@riceman2011]

Recipe starts at 3:23

[@facepalm643]

As a Filipino. I dont use ginger on meat. I only use ginger on fish to counter the fishy taste.

[@skip081961]

My then Filipina girlfriend said to me, "I'm going to make sinigang tonight." I said, "sina..., sini...what???". She says, "sour soup." And I said, "Okay." Seriously, it is one of my most favorite dishes but your version is definitely a "gourmet" version. She'd make it with any bone-in pork and a lot of soup. The only thing she didn't use was the okra; which I'm definitely going to try. I am from the Southern U.S. and I've always said Filipino cooking was very similar to Southern cooking.

[@dudleysmom100]

No ginger in sinigang and that wasn’t daikon radish but Korean radish instead. Otherwise, decent recipe

[@aquamarine7705]

It should have TOMATOES, WHITE RADDISH as well No ginger

[@TheWebhippo]

Broccoli, tomato, shrimp is what I grew up with

[@macmanmpls]

Bryan is a genius.

[@dixiemae5042]

24th … my ex makes this all the time 👨🏼‍🍳

[@10thMorales]

I know that 12:27 was a jumpscare to every chef😅 But, I’ll be cooking this ASAP!🥰👍

[@Hmrogers97]

ATK said trans rights 😭🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

[@gyorgybereg6916]

I watched the full video again but I don't hear that word.

[@Hmrogers97]

​@@gyorgybereg6916 Lmao the chef they interviewed is trans ❤ Also they chose to focus on the flag on the door twice, the editor could have chosen not to include those shots but instead chose shots where the pride flag is in the center 😊

[@Joe_Montfort]

Looks really good. Kinda disappointed you left out the okra, though... 😏

[@preciousjewelamor]

And the leaves!

[@aquamarine7705]

Soup should be lighter. The Pinay chef thought a not so appetizing way of cooking it.

[@sourcedecay]

A cup of a solid food is a pretty silly measurement.

[@MrEquusQuagga]

Janice should be a model 😍

[@honger1]

That ginger looked sus

[@originalresqme]

Ginger in Sinigang??? That's a first for me.

[@TheOriginalRick]

Mrs. Rick does it all the time with ginger.

[@xTravisMarx]

It aint legit though. Tasty sure, but definitely not the sinigang all Filipinos eat.

[@FTfilm]

because there is only one true way and every single filipino only makes it this one holy way eh? ;)

[@joanbarber5384]

Too sour for me. Tried cooking it twice and could not stand the sour taste.

[@kfreedom1444]

This episode has turned me into Uncle Roger! While I appreciate the representation, Cook’s Country should’ve sought the stories of an Auntie for a more accurate dish. Sinigang DOESN’T HAVE GINGER, (HAIYAA!!! )which is a very strong flavor component that interferes with the flavor of GREEN (raw) TAMARIND. The tamarind used was wrong, which is sweet. We use green tamarind which is sour. Filipinos have perfected it with Sinigang packets readily available in Asian stores. There’s no shame in using it. Keep the sweet tamarind for making drinks and Pad Thai. Use spinach bunch in place of water spinach ( morning glory or kang kong) and definitely not bok choy! That’s for Nilaga and Kare Kare! Now everyone’s going to make it and think this is how we make Sinigang (HAIYAA!!!) Cook’s Country, you’ve made Jaime Oliver and Rachael Ray proud!

[@edstella]

Please see 3:30. Also, as another Filipino American, we have always used bok choy and kang kong. Sometimes we even used: cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, or cauliflower. Everyone does it differently and most importantly: with what is available and within budget.

[@petepete4984]

Wrong