First time I encountered Soup Number 5 was at Balaw Balaw, that quirky restaurant in Angono known for its exotic Filipino dishes. Perched on a plastic stool, surrounded by folk art and the buzz of local chatter, I watched steam rise from a bowl of clear, aromatic broth.
The owner, grinning, explained its “special” ingredients while ladling out portions. One sip of that rich, herb-infused soup – fragrant with ginger and lemongrass, and I understood why this dish has become legendary in Filipino drinking culture.
Just don’t ask what’s in it until after you’ve finished your bowl.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic blend of Filipino and Chinese culinary traditions
- Rich in collagen and nutrients
- Perfect balance of medicinal herbs and savory flavors
- Traditional hangover remedy
- Complex depth of flavor from long simmering
Filipino Soup Number 5 (Lansiao)
Equipment
- Large stock pot (para sa mahabang pagluluto) for long simmering
- Sharp knife and cutting board (kutsilyo at sangkalan) for precise ingredient preparation
- Fine mesh strainer (pangsala) for straining herbs
- Heavy-bottom sauté pan (kawali) for sautéing aromatics
- Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat) for accurate portions
Ingredients
Primary Ingredients:
- 800 g bulls’ testes and testicles bayag ng toro, cleaned and parboiled
- 200 g beef tendons litid
- 4 cups beef stock sabaw ng baka
- 4 cups water tubig
- 2 cups beef broth sabaw ng baka
Aromatics and Herbs:
- 8 stalks lemongrass tanglad
- 1 packet sibot/sibut herb mix halamang intsik
- 4 birds eye chilies siling labuyo
- 2 thumb-sized ginger luya
- 2 white onions sibuyas
- 1 whole head garlic bawang
- 2 stalks spring onions sibuyas dahon
Seasonings:
- Fish sauce patis to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper paminta
- Cooking oil mantika
Instructions
- First, clean the bull’s testes and tendons thoroughly in salted water. Cut into large chunks. Parboil twice in fresh water to remove any gamey taste, about 5 minutes each time.
- In a large pot, combine the parboiled meat, tendons, water, beef stock, bruised lemongrass stalks, and sibot herbs. Bring everything to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat and cover. Let it simmer gently for 3.5 hours until the meat becomes very tender.
- While waiting, prepare your aromatics. Slice your ginger thinly, chop the onions, mince the garlic, and cut the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
- Once the meat is tender, remove it from the broth and cut into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth and throw away the lemongrass and herbs. Keep the broth.
- Get a clean pot and heat some oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic first until it turns light golden. Add the onions and white parts of spring onions, cooking until soft. Add the ginger and cook until you can smell its aroma.
- Put the sliced meat and tendons back in. Add the chilies and cook everything together for 2 minutes.
- Pour in your saved broth. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes so the flavors can come together.
- Add fish sauce to taste and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Give it 5 more minutes to simmer.
- Serve hot in bowls, topped with the green parts of spring onions you saved earlier.
- This soup tastes best piping hot and is perfect as a late-night dish or early morning pick-me-up.
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Parboil meat twice to remove strong gamey flavors (malansa)
- Choose fresh, pink-colored testes for best quality
- Add ginger generously to balance medicinal herbs
- Let soup rest 10 minutes before serving for flavors to meld
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Serve piping hot as pulutan (bar food)
- Pair with steamed white rice
- Garnish with extra chilies and spring onions
- Traditional accompaniment: ice-cold beer
Troubleshooting
- Too bitter: Add more ginger and onions
- Too gamey: Increase parboiling time
- Too thin: Simmer longer to reduce
- Too spicy: Remove chilies before final simmer
Ingredient Alternatives
- Replace sibot with mix of dried mushrooms and goji berries
- Substitute beef tendons with oxtail
- Use regular chili instead of birds eye for less heat
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight container
- Freeze up to 2 months
- Reheat slowly on stovetop (90°C)
- Add fresh spring onions when reheating
Variations
- Spicy Version: Double the chilies
- Clear Version: Skip sautéing step
- Rich Version: Add beef bones
- Modern Version: Add mushrooms and bokchoy
FAQs
- Why is it called Soup Number 5? Originally menu item #5 in Filipino-Chinese restaurants
- What are sibut herbs? Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs including Angelica Root, Rehmannia, White Peony Root
- How to clean the main ingredients? Soak in salted water, parboil twice, remove membranes
- Best time to serve? Traditionally served late evening or early morning
- Health benefits? High in protein, collagen, considered an energy booster
Nutrition
The Story Behind Soup Number 5 (Lansiao)
The origins of Soup Number 5 weave through Manila’s bustling Binondo district, where Filipino-Chinese communities first introduced this intriguing dish. Originally listed simply as “No. 5” on restaurant menus—after standard soups like chicken, pork, beef, and seafood—this discrete numbering cleverly masked its unique ingredients while piquing diners’ curiosity.
The soup’s Chinese name, lansiao, comes from Hokkien dialect, directly referencing its main ingredients. Early Hokkien immigrants brought their traditional medicinal soups, including the crucial sibut herb mixture containing Angelica Root, Rehmannia, and Goji Berries. These herbs, combined with Filipino cooking techniques like sautéing aromatics, created a distinctive fusion that became a staple in Manila’s late-night eateries.
What sets this soup apart is its transformation from a modest medicinal brew to a celebrated street food phenomenon. In Cebu’s bustling corners and Manila’s vibrant food districts, it gained fame as both a hangover cure and an aphrodisiac. Local lore suggests that Chinese merchants initially prepared it for strength and vitality during long trading voyages, later sharing it with Filipino dock workers and laborers.
Today, Soup Number 5 represents the enduring influence of Chinese cuisine on Filipino food culture. While some establishments still maintain the mysterious “Number 5” moniker, others proudly showcase it as a testament to Filipino culinary adventurousness. From humble beginnings in immigrant kitchens to its current status as a notorious delicacy, this soup embodies the bold, diverse character of Filipino street food heritage.
