Sinigang

Sinigang

A pot of tamarind sinigang
Origin
Place of origin	Philippines
Details
Course served	Main course
Type	Soup or stew
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredient(s)	Meat, vegetables, tamarind, fish sauce, onions, siling mahaba, tomatoes
Variations	Pork, beef, shrimp, fish, chicken
Other information	Can be served in many different forms

Sinigang is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savoury taste most often associated with tamarind (Filipino: sampalok). It is one of the more popular viands in Philippine cuisine, and is related to the Malaysian dish singgang.

While present nationwide, sinigang is seen to be culturally Tagalog in origin, thus the versions found in the Visayas and Mindanao may differ in taste (mainly ginger is an additional ingredient). Fish sauce is a common condiment for the stew.

Ingredients

Pork sinigang

Sinigang is traditionally tamarind-based. Variations of the dish derive their sourness from ingredients such as guava, calamansi, bilimbi (balimbíng), or unripe mango. Seasoning powder or bouillon cubes with a tamarind base are commercial alternatives to using natural fruits.

Meat in sinigang (e.g., fish, pork, beef, shrimp, or chicken) is often stewed with tamarinds, tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Other vegetables commonly used in the making of sinigang include okra, taro corms (gabi), daikon (labanós), water spinach (kangkóng), yardlong beans (sitaw) and eggplant (talóng). Most Filipinos like to cook sinigang with green long peppers in order to enhance the taste and add a little spice to the dish.

Sinampalukang manók or sinampalukan (from sampalok) is technically not a variation of sinigang, as the chicken has to be sautéed in ginger first instead of all the ingredients being placed simultaneously into the pot and brought to a boil. Sinampalukan is also distinguished by its use of shredded tamarind leaves, and is usually made together with ginger, onions, tomatoes, eggplant and spinach.

Sinigang variations

Sinampalukang Manók from Baliuag, Bulacan

• Sinigáng sa Misô (Sinigang with miso added to the soup as the umami element, usually with a tamarind base)
• Sinigáng sa Bayabas (Sinigang that uses guava as the sour soup base)
• Sinigang sa Mangga (Sinigang that uses unripe mango as the sour soup base)
• Sinigang sa Kalamansi (Sinigang that uses calamansi or lemon as the sour soup base)
• Sinigáng na Isdâ (Fish Sinigang)
• Sinigáng na Baboy (Pork Sinigang)
• Sinigáng na Hipon (Shrimp or Prawn Sinigang)
• Sinigang na Baka (Beef Sinigang)
• Sinampalukang Manók (Chicken with tamarind leaves)

See also

• Hot and sour soup
• Philippine cuisine
• List of soups
• List of stews

Further reading

• Eckhardt, Robyn and David Hagerman. (2007-02-15). Why Not Sinigang?. Retrieved 2010-08-02 from the EatingAsia food blog.
• Fernandez, Doreen. (1976). Why Sinigang?. In Gilda Cordero-Fernando. The Culinary Culture of the Philippines. Manila: Bancom Audiovision Corporation. pp. 24–29.
• Perez, Irene C. (2010-07-01). Why piping-hot ‘sinigang’ is the national dish. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2010-08-02.