Sinigang Mix 22g: Filipino Pork Soup for Four

Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup, often made with pork, vegetables, and a broth made tangy with tamarind; this version uses one 22 g packet of sinigang mix for a practical, consistent starting point. Pork shoulder simmers until tender, then daikon, eggplant, long beans, and leafy greens finish in the same pot for a hearty meal with rice.

Ingredients

1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1¼-inch (3 cm) pieces
8 cups (1.9 L) water
1 medium yellow onion, about 5 oz (150 g), peeled and cut into wedges
2 medium tomatoes, about 10 oz (280 g), cut into wedges
1 packet sinigang mix, 22 g
1 medium daikon radish, about 8 oz (225 g), peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) half-moons
1 small Asian eggplant, about 8 oz (225 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
6 oz (170 g) long beans, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste
1 small green chile, such as a Thai chile, left whole or slit once (optional)
4 oz (115 g) fresh kangkong, also called water spinach, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) lengths
¼ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Cut the pork into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly. Rinse and cut the vegetables, keeping the daikon, eggplant, beans, and leafy greens separate because they need different cooking times. If using kangkong, rinse it well and drain it; separate thick stems from leaves if the stems are especially sturdy. This preparation takes about 25 minutes. Keep the sinigang packet nearby, but wait to add it until the pork is tender so you can adjust the broth without over-reducing it.
Start the pork broth. Put the pork, water, onion, and tomatoes in a large, heavy pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, which should take about 10 minutes. Skim off the gray foam that gathers on top with a spoon, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partly and cook the pork for 60 minutes. Check occasionally that the liquid is barely bubbling, not boiling hard; a vigorous boil can make the broth cloudy and the meat less pleasant. If the water level drops enough to leave pork exposed, add a little hot water.
Check the pork and season the soup. The pork should be easy to pierce with a fork but still hold its shape. Use a food thermometer to check the center of a thick piece: the USDA FSIS safe minimum for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. The long simmer should make shoulder more tender than that minimum, but use the thermometer rather than judging safety by color. Stir in the entire 22 g packet and the fish sauce. Add the daikon and optional chile, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste a spoonful of broth before adding extra fish sauce, since packet saltiness and sourness vary by brand.
Add the vegetables in stages. Add the eggplant and long beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or just until the daikon is tender when pierced and the eggplant is soft but not collapsing. Add the kangkong and cook for 2 minutes, just until wilted. If the broth tastes too sharp, add ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water at a time; if it tastes mild, add a little more fish sauce or a squeeze of calamansi or lime. Once the pork has reached the safe temperature, let the covered pot stand off the heat for 3 minutes before serving.
Finish and serve. Stir in the black pepper and taste the broth once more. Remove the whole chile if you want its aroma without serving it, or leave it in for diners who like heat. Ladle pork, broth, and a mix of vegetables into warm bowls. The stated cooking time includes bringing the pot to a simmer, 60 minutes of pork simmering, 10 minutes for the vegetables, 2 minutes for greens, and the 3-minute rest; allow extra time if the pork needs longer to become fork-tender.

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle. A low, steady simmer helps pork shoulder soften without breaking the vegetables apart later. If the surface is rolling energetically, turn down the burner. Skimming early helps keep the broth cleaner, but a little cloudiness is normal for a home-style soup and does not affect the flavor.
Season after tasting. The amount of salt and sourness in a 22 g sinigang mix packet depends on its formulation. Use one packet for the listed 8 cups of water, then taste before adding more salt or fish sauce. If the broth is too intense, stir in hot water a little at a time; adding sugar is not necessary to balance it.
Choose vegetables that can simmer. Daikon and long beans are sturdy choices, while leafy greens need only a short finish. If using regular spinach instead of kangkong, add it at the very end and cook just until wilted. Kangkong is sold at some Asian groceries; spinach is a convenient substitute, though it has softer stems and a milder, less distinctive texture.
Cut the pork evenly and trim sensibly. Similar-sized pieces cook at a similar rate. A little fat on shoulder contributes flavor, but trim thick, hard pieces if you prefer a less oily soup. For easier skimming, let the pot settle briefly and spoon visible fat from the surface before adding the vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

Serve sinigang hot in individual bowls with steamed white rice on the side. Diners can spoon rice into the broth or alternate bites of rice, pork, and vegetables. A small dish of fish sauce with sliced fresh chile is a common-style accompaniment for those who want extra salt or heat; keep it optional so each person can season their own bowl. Calamansi wedges or lime wedges are also useful at the table, especially if someone prefers a brighter sour note than the packet provides.

For a fuller meal, serve the soup with a simple plate of sliced cucumber or blanched greens, rather than adding many other strongly seasoned dishes. The soup already contains meat, broth, and several vegetables, so a plain rice side lets its sour, savory flavor stand out. If serving a group, keep extra rice warm separately and offer a ladle of broth over it only when each bowl is served; this keeps leftover rice from soaking up all the soup.

Variations

Use ribs instead of shoulder: Pork ribs work well in sinigang and give the broth a richer taste. Use about 1½ lb (680 g) cut ribs and simmer until the meat is tender, checking that the thickest pieces reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum temperature stated in the instructions. Ribs can take longer than small shoulder cubes, so allow an additional 15 to 30 minutes if needed. The amount of time depends on the cut and size, so use tenderness rather than the clock alone.

Make it with shrimp: For a quicker seafood version, simmer the onion and tomatoes in the water for about 15 minutes, stir in the mix, then add peeled, deveined shrimp near the end and cook just until opaque and firm. Shrimp and other fish should reach 145°F (63°C), measured with a food thermometer. Do not simmer shrimp for the full pork cooking time. This makes a lighter soup and changes the broth’s flavor; consider adding the vegetables in stages as above so they do not overcook while the seafood finishes.

Change the vegetable mix: Use okra, green beans, or chunks of taro in place of some of the listed vegetables. Taro needs enough simmering to become fully tender, so add it with the daikon. Okra cooks quickly and can thicken the broth slightly; add it with the eggplant. Kangkong is a traditional leafy option in many versions, but spinach is easier to find in some places and gives a softer texture. Filipino households and regions use different combinations, so treat the vegetable list as adaptable rather than a fixed rule.

Adjust the sourness without another packet: If you want a sharper finish after tasting, add calamansi juice or lime juice a teaspoon (5 ml) at a time. Fresh citrus brings a brighter aroma than powdered seasoning, though it will not taste exactly like extra tamarind mix. If you cannot find fish sauce, use soy sauce in small amounts; it adds savory salt but changes the flavor and does not replace the sourness of the sinigang mix.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, dividing a large pot among shallow containers so it cools faster. Store it covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The vegetables will soften as they sit in the broth, especially leafy greens and eggplant, but the soup remains suitable for reheating when handled and stored safely. If you expect leftovers, you can also cook the greens separately and add them to individual portions, though that means the stored soup will not have the greens already mixed in.

Reheat only the portions you plan to eat. Warm the soup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C); check with a food thermometer. Add a splash of water if the broth has reduced or tastes more concentrated after storage. In a microwave, cover the bowl loosely, stir partway through, and check the temperature in more than one spot. Freeze cooled soup in airtight freezer-safe containers for about 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C); the vegetables may be softer after freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does one 22 g packet of sinigang mix make?

This recipe uses one 22 g packet with 8 cups (1.9 L) of water, enough for four generous servings with pork and vegetables. Packets differ in saltiness and sourness, so this ratio is a starting point rather than a guarantee that every product tastes identical. Follow any packet directions that call for a different dilution, and taste the broth before adding extra seasoning.

Can I add the sinigang mix at the beginning?

You can, but adding it after the pork is tender makes it easier to judge the final broth and avoids concentrating the seasoning as liquid evaporates during a long simmer. The mix does not need a long cooking time to flavor the soup. If you prefer to add it earlier, keep the pot at a gentle simmer and taste before adding fish sauce or other salty ingredients.

Why is my sinigang too sour or too salty?

Packets vary, and the broth can become more concentrated if the pot simmers uncovered for a long time. If it is too sour or salty, stir in hot water a quarter cup (60 ml) at a time and taste again. If you add enough water to make the flavor thin, simmer briefly with a few fresh tomato wedges or serve with plenty of plain rice. Avoid adding more fish sauce until the balance is right.

Can I make this soup ahead?

Yes. Cook the pork and broth ahead, cool and refrigerate them within 2 hours, then reheat the soup and add the vegetables shortly before serving for firmer texture. If the vegetables are already cooked, the soup can still be reheated safely, but they will become softer. Keep refrigerated soup for 3 to 4 days and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).

Can I make sinigang mix 22g without pork?

Yes. Use shrimp, firm fish, tofu, or extra vegetables instead, adjusting the cooking time to suit the ingredient. Fish and shrimp cook quickly, so add them near the end rather than simmering them for an hour. For a vegetarian pot, replace fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative; the result will taste different, but the tamarind seasoning still provides the characteristic sour broth.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).