Hello, hello! Greetings and salutations to all of our Filipino and American families of the Greater Lafayette, Indiana area. Sometime better known as Fil-Am Families. I have been thinking about food today! It seems most days I wake up just starved and this morning I am ravenous. You know, I have eaten all over the world in my travels and there is one meal that really satisfies me to the core and that is Sinigang Na Baboy. Masarap!!!!! Sinigang is a sour and spicy soup traditional to the Philippines and most of our Filipino - American households. There are many different ways of making this and nothing Progresso or Cambles Soup makes can compare. So if you would like to try this simple recipe tonight I guarantee it will put a smile on your tastebud's and a warmth in your tummy.
Here is our family recipe and I hope my wife does not kill me. TOP SECRET!
In America it's generally hard to find fresh ingredients that you will find in the traditional dishes so sometimes substitutes can be made by shopping at most general markets like Wal Mart, IGA and Marsh a.k.a. Market Street.
Sinigang Na Baboy:
Ingredients:
3 pkgs. Knorr Brand Tamarind Mix (found at local Asian market)
2 lbs. thinly sliced pork (boneless if preferred)
3 medium sized turnips
1 medium sized red onion
2 medium sized tomatoes (optional)
5-6 medium sized "Anaheim peppers" *** Very important that you get the
yellowish green pepper shaped like a cow horn and more yellowish than the green.
The wrong pepper will ruin your meal. IGA carries this.
1-2 pk. spinach or bokchoy (I like spinach as we have grown accustomed to substituting with this here in the States) bokchoy leaves a bitter after taste to most who have been here Stateside.
Another option for this dish is milk fish wish I love. You might find a medium sides one already cleaned at your local Asian Supermarket. (rinse, scale and clip off fins, then cut into 1" pieces) CAUTION: contains small bones towards the tale of the fish!
Directions:
Bring to a boil in a medium sized stock pot approximately 2.5 gallons of water. If you have a a medium sized steam pot used for sioapao this works wonderful. I just fill it up about half way.
While your water is boiling on a medium heat, quarter your meat and trim the fat if desired. I like a lean cut boneless pork, approx. 2 - 2.5 lbs. Rinse your meat and add to the boiling pot. Boil on low for 45 minutes.
On a separate cutting board for vegetables, rinse and prepare your turnips as these take a while to cook. I cut them into thin slices, throwing away the ends of course. 2-3 medium turnips should do. You may wish to add long beans to the mix if you can find these fresh. (rule of thumb: if they are spongy and have black spots don't buy them). If somewhat crisp when you break then these may be added. I rinse and cut about a handful into 1" pieces and add to pot. Next, rinse and add your onion.
Cut a couple of your Aneheim peppers down the middle, length wise and add to pot. You will also want to add 3 uncut. Depending on the spiciness you may cut three and add no more than six total.
Lastly, add your tamarind mix. My wife and I use 3 packages of the Knorr brand.
Let this entire stock boil for the 45 minutes total time, skimming the soup scum from the top with a soup ladle. If you prefer bokchoy you may rinse and cut the root end off and add or use spinach substitute.
After the mix has boiled for 45 minutes or so give it a taste. You may add a bit of sea salt if needed. Wash and rinse two medium sized tomatoes and add this to the pot. Your final ingredients is your spinach. Make sure you rinse this WELL and only blanch the spinach for about 7-8 minutes. I lower my heat and allow to boil for another 15-20 minutes.
Serve with one cup of white rice!
Enjoy!!!
