It Started With a Mixx: Sinigang Na Baboy (Sour Pork Soup)

Instead of trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop, I'm trying to balance pre-made soup seasoning with from-scratch flavor. Plus, I haven't had the familiar old Knorr sinigang mix in years, and am curious to see if the reality lives up to my fond memories.

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 5-7 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 10 cups water
• 2 to 2-1/2 lbs. baby back ribs
• 1 packet Knorr sinigang mix (ended up using a heaping tbsp. more from another packet)
  
• 1 lb. green beans (12 oz. this time)
  
• 6 oz. spinach, chopped

Put oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes till soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Add water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the meat, return to a boil, then simmer till the meat's tender - about an hour, maybe more.

Add contents of soup mix packet; stir to mix well.

Add green beans. Return to a boil and cook for 3-6 minutes, till beans are softer but still crisp.

Add spinach. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

11:30 pm: Turned out to be as strong, flavorful (with a smooth, almost creamy undertone - probably from all the pork fat and marrow) and comforting as I remember. While I'll keep making the from-scratch version (and looking out for tamarinds to try another variant with), I'll certainly treat myself to this now and then.

Catfish Sinigang 2: Rhubarb

Made this recipe, sans leafy greens and substituting 5 stalks of rhubarb for the lemon, the day before yesterday. Didn't use enough, at least for my tastes - while the rhubarb did add a nice, subtle tartness to the soup, it wasn't quite the strong sourness I was looking for. Still very tasty, though - tester #1 concurs.

Cut rhubarb into 4-inch lengths. Boil in three cups of water for 15 minutes or until tender.

Remove from water. Strain and mash with a spoon to release additional liquid into the water.

Add green beans, onion and tomato and proceed as usual.

Catfish Sinigang (Catfish in Sour Broth)

I haven't made this lately, but figured it would be a good one to archive here. This recipe is a rather modified version of the "Sinigang na Bangus" recipe in Filipino Cooking Here and Abroad.

• 1-1/2 lbs. catfish fillets
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 4-5 medium Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp. patis
• salt for fish
• 1 lb. green beans, cut into 2-3 in. lengths (all the better to fit into Mr. Bento's soup compartment)
• 6 oz. spinach leaves (or more if you like), roughly chopped
• 2-4 baby bok choy, chopped - separate stems and leaves (optional but yummy)
  

Cut fillets into serving or half-serving sized pieces, depending on your inclination. Salt them.

Put water, tomatoes and onions in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook till vegetables are getting tender (maybe 5-7 mins).

Add green beans (or blanch them first and reserve till you add the fish - I've never been fancy enough for that option) and baby bok choy stems, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 4-7 minutes more, till beans are softened but not quite done.

Add lemon juice and patis. Correct seasonings.

Add fish. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until fish is opaque.

Remove from heat, add spinach and baby bok choy leaves. Cover and let stand for 2-3 minutes. Serve with patis and lemon to pass around.

Sinigang na Baboy (Pork in Sour Broth)

While the pre-prepared sinigang mixes (Knorr and Mama Sita) I've used contain tamarind, I use lemon juice and patis (fish sauce) when cooking from scratch. This recipe is modified from Filipino Cooking Here and Abroad.

NOTE: The original recipe calls for 5-6 pieces of tamarind to be added along with the tomatoes and onion. Then it should be removed, mashed with some of the broth, and the resulting liquid should be returned to the pot. Lemon juice is one substitute; another is 2-3 stalks of rhubarb - I've never tried this, but assume that some adjustment would be necessary.

• 2-1/2 lb. baby back ribs, cut into pieces
  
• 10 cups water
• 4-5 medium tomatoes, sliced (I use Roma)
• 1 large onion, sliced
  
• 4-6 tbsp. patis
  
• 4-6 tbsp. lemon juice
  
• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed
  
• 5 oz. spinach, chopped
• 2-4 baby bok choy, chopped - separate leaves and stems (optional but yummy)
  

Bring water and pork to a boil. Add tomatoes and onions. Simmer covered for 1 hour, or until tender.

Add lemon juice and patis. Taste and correct seasoning.

Bring to a boil, then add green beans and baby bok choy stems. Cook for 5-8 minutes more, or until beans have reached desired texture.

Add spinach and bok choy leaves, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.