Once again, another reason to make us Filipinos even more proud of our culture and history is the fact that Sinigang was hailed as the “Best Rated Soup in the World”! Yup, the unique sour taste of Sinigang and its brilliant flavors surprised the taste of many people all over the world. Sinigang unanimously beat its international competitors like Japan’s Shoyu Ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen, Turkey’s Lentil Soup, and Romania’s Bean Soup with Smoked Meat. See? Those are all heavyweight soup dishes that our very own Sinigang just beat with a score of 4.63/5.0 according to the 2021 Taste Outlast Awards.
But what is it that really made us love Sinigang? Well, it’s a traditional sour soup made with Sampalok or Tamarind and then filled with vegetables like labanos (radish), sitaw (green beans), kamatis (tomato), and gabi (taro), and many more. You can also use any main ingredient that you want whether it’s pork, beef, chicken, and even fish! But usually, the best-tasting and most popular versions of Sinigang are Sinigang na Baboy and Sinigang na Baka. These bad boys are traditionally served in every kind of occasion you can think of such as weddings, birthday parties, reunions, and such.
But do you know what the best version of Sinigang is for me? Homemade Sinigang. Yup, definitely homemade! In every Filipino household, I’m sure that there will always be an expert in cooking classic Filipino dishes like Adobo, Nilaga, and of course, Sinigang. It may be your wife, mom, sister, aunt, or grandma. But no matter who it is, I’m sure that their version will always be your comfort food and no one else will be able to top that!
So while we’re at it, let’s talk about the delicious variations of Sinigang recipes! As I’ve said earlier, you can be as creative as you want when you’re cooking Sinigang. It’s up to you if you’re craving pork, beef, or fish! See? And that’s the beauty of it. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s do it!
Sinigang na Baboy (Pork Sinigang)
Ah, first on the list and probably the most popular version of Sinigang is Sinigang na Baboy or Pork Sinigang. I’m sure that almost every Filipino household has this delicious soup dish as their favorite “ulam” every week. Why? Well, first of all, the ingredients can be easily bought from local markets and grocery stores. Moreover, the cooking procedures are also very easy to follow and Filipino moms can even entrust the task of cooking sinigang to their teenage children already!
Of course, Pork Sinigang is best served hot along with freshly-cooked white rice and fish sauce with lots of red chilies or siling labuyo on the side. Yum!
Sinigang na Baka (Beef Sinigang)
Next on the list is Sinigang na Baka or Beef Sinigang. Compared to Sinigang na Baboy, this soup dish is usually served during special occasions only because pork is traditionally cheaper than beef here in the Philippines. Oh, and Beef Sinigang is also one of the premier best-sellers of several restaurants here in the country. The soft and tender meat of the beef combined with the flavorful soup is absolutely a delicious treat you shouldn’t miss!
Sinampalukang Manok (Chicken Sinigang)
Oh yes. You can also cook sinigang by using chicken as your main ingredient! Sinampalukang Manok or Chicken Sinigang is also one of the all-time favorite dishes of many Filipinos especially during the rainy season when it’s nice to sip a boiling-hot sour soup. Filipinos use what they call Native Chickens or Free-Range Chickens as the main ingredient for this dish because it is said that their meat is much more firm than commercial chickens. This is perfect for Sinampalukang Manok because the meat is simmered for long periods of time. Yum!
Sinigang na Bangus sa Miso (Milkfish Sinigang)
Yes! We can also use the National Fish of the Philippines or Bangus as the main ingredient of Sinigang. The meaty flesh of Milkfish is perfectly combined with the sour flavor of the soup along with some vegetables like radish, green beans, tomatoes, and more. And to make it more special, Filipinos use Miso or Soybean Paste to make the soup thicker and more delicious!
Sinigang na Hipon (Shrimp Sinigang)
Are you still up for more? Well, we also have a Sinigang na Hipon Recipe or Shrimp Sinigang that will make you crave shrimp even more. Compared to all of the recipes I’ve mentioned, this is probably the easiest and quickest one to do. Obviously, shrimp only requires a small amount of time to cook. And just like the other recipes, Shrimp Sinigang is best-served while it’s hot along with a freshly-cooked cup of rice and some fish sauce with chili!
And there you have it! It’s no wonder why a lot of people voted for Sinigang as the “Best Soup in the World”, right? It’s a very delicious, relaxing, and native dish for Filipinos. It also perfectly represents the culture and tradition of the Philippines by including many native ingredients in the dish like bangus, labanos, mustasa, sitaw, and many more.
So, did you like this article? For more amazing and interesting things about Sinigang, just visit Sinigang Recipes!
