Sinigang Pork Belly
A quintessential Filipino comfort soup centering on succulent pork belly simmered in a clear, distinctively sour tamarind broth. This one-pot marvel balances rich, fatty meat with the brightness of tomatoes, crunch of string beans, earthiness of taro root, mild sweetness of daikon, and freshness of leafy greens. The signature tang comes from sampalok (tamarind), creating a perfect counterpoint to the meat's richness. Served steaming hot alongside white rice with fish sauce for personalized seasoning, it embodies Filipino cuisine's mastery of contrasting flavors—sour, savory, and subtly spicy—in a single harmonious bowl that satisfies as both everyday fare and celebratory comfort.
Ingredients
- Bunch of green beans or string beans/sitaw ends trimmed
- 1.5 lb pork belly sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
- 3 small tomatoes chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion chopped into 1-inch pieces
- Spinach or kangkong water spinach, washed with stems separated
- 1 daikon radish sliced into ½ inch rounds
- 4 small taro/gabi
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- 2 liters water
- 1 packet spicy sinigang na sampalok mix
- Steamed white rice for serving
- Patis fish sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop tomatoes and onion into 1-inch pieces. Trim ends of green/string beans. Thoroughly wash the spinach and separate the stems. Slice the daikon radish into ½ inch rounds.
- Prepare the meat: Cut the pork belly into ½ inch thick slices for even cooking.
- Brown the meat: In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pork belly slices and brown them lightly for about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and onions, then stir for another minute to release their flavors.
- Create the broth: Pour water into the pot. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Be careful not to boil vigorously as this can make the meat tough. Add the sinigang soup packet according to your taste preference.
- Prepare the taro: While the broth is simmering, boil the small taro in a separate pot over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Peel off the skin (using gloves if you're sensitive to taro) and chop into halves or quarters, depending on size.
- Tenderize the meat: After simmering for 45 minutes, check if the pork is tender by piercing it with a fork. If it's not yet tender enough, continue simmering until the meat reaches your desired softness.
- Add hardy vegetables: Once the meat is tender, add the daikon radish, green beans, and prepared taro to the pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
- Finish with leafy greens: Add the spinach last and cook for just 1-2 minutes until wilted but still bright green.
- Serve: Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Serve hot with steamed white rice and a small saucer of patis (fish sauce) on the side for additional seasoning.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- For maximum flavor development: Brown the pork belly pieces thoroughly before adding liquid. This extra step creates depth of flavor in your broth.
- Perfect sourness: Start with ¾ of the sinigang mix packet, then taste and adjust according to your preference. You can always add more, but you can't remove sourness once added.
- Authentic touch: For an even more traditional flavor, use fresh tamarind instead of the packet mix. Boil about 1 cup of tamarind pulp in water, strain, and add the liquid to your soup.
- Vegetable timing: Always add vegetables in order of cooking time—root vegetables first, leafy greens last—to ensure everything is perfectly cooked.
- Best cuts: While this recipe uses pork belly for its rich flavor and tender texture, you can also use pork ribs or pork shoulder if preferred.
- Flavor enhancer: For an extra depth of flavor, add a tablespoon of shrimp paste (bagoong) to the broth.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!