Sinigang na Hipon Recipe

Place the sampalok (tamarind) in a small cooking pot and add enough water to cover the fruit, just about a cup to a cup and a half. Set to medium heat and allow the tamarind to boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fruit becomes soft, or until the skin of the fruit is cracked or soft. Once softened, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly until you can actually handle the fruit. Using a strainer and a spoon, mash the cooked tamarind to release the juice into the water. 

In another pot. We start to cook the Sinigang itself, so please choose a pot that you think would fit all your ingredients. How do you like your veggies done? If you like them a little crunchy, sauté the beans with the onions and the radish as well. If you don’t want your veggies crunchy, let go straight to boiling. Add around 3 to 5 cups of water, medium heat.

Once the water reaches a gentle boil, carefully add the tomatoes, onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients lightly to help distribute them throughout the water and allow their flavors to marry into the broth. Lessen your heat as you deem fit. Let the mixture simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften and release their natural flavors and aromas. The smell of the tomatoes, onions and the vegetables would make you want to add the tamarind.

By this time, your vegetables have softened. You can now carefully pour in your tamarind broth. While adding, you can use a strainer to separate the pulp. If you’d like to include the tamarind pulp, go ahead and forego the strainer. If there is a little boiling action, take your teaspoon and have a little try of the broth. If you taste the tamarind and the tomatoes, is it sour enough? Lacks a little more? Add the fish sauce. 

Stir the mixture gently to ensure that the sour tamarind flavor and savory flavor of the vegetables and the fish sauce are evenly tucked throughout the broth. Allow the ingredients to blend together, creating a balanced combination of tangy, salty, and aromatic flavors. Continue stirring for a few moments until the soup embraces everything you have placed in it. Even your love. 

Once your soup has been seasoned and stirred out. If you haven’t placed the other vegetables, please do so now. Stir gently to help the vegetables get flavor from the broth. Once you notice the vegetables are softening, let the mixture simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, giving the vegetables enough time to cook. Not too cooked so you still get the natural nutrients of the vegetables. Try not to overcook the vegetables to preserve their color, nutrients, and slight crunch.

Once the vegetables are softened (not too soft. Check your radish and string beans), carefully add the cleaned shrimp into the simmering broth. Stir gently to ensure that the shrimp is evenly distributed so it can cook evenly with the rest of the ingredients. Allow them to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until they change in color from gray to bright orange and become firm and cooked. Take heed while cooking the shrimp, if the shrimp will get over cooked, it becomes gummy and tough. After a quick change of color from grey to orange, that’s when you know the shrimp is cooked. You may now taste the broth, since the shrimp is cooked and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to your liking. Stir gently once more to allow the seasonings to blend with the soup, enriching the soup base. 

After the ingredients are cooked, add the Kang Kong to complete the Sinigang symphony. Drown the Kang Kong using a ladle. Kang Kong cooks fast, so once you see the leaves slightly softening. Turn off the heat. 

You’ve finished the kitchen battle of preparing and cooking this hearty dish. Now it’s time to prepare for service. Unleash your creative juices on how you want to serve your finished product. You can serve it personally, but already putting it soup bowls. You can also serve this family style, just in the pot and put the pot in the middle of your dinner table. Please, don’t skip on rice with this dish. They really go well together. Enjoy!