Sinigang na Hipon
Sinigang na Hipon is a bright, sour Filipino soup where sweet prawns simmer in a tangy tamarind broth with softened tomatoes, daikon, and tender water spinach. The result is light yet deeply savoury, refreshing, and perfect spooned over hot rice.
Ingredients
Sinigang
- 300 gprawns, shell-on and deveined
- 1 litrewater
- 120 gonion, quartered
- 200 gtomatoes, quartered
- 150 gdaikon radish, peeled and sliced into 1 cm half-moons
- 40 gtamarind paste
- 20 mlfish sauce
- 1 piece (10 g)long green chilli
- 120 gwater spinach, trimmed into 8 cm lengths
- 2 gfine salt
- 1 gground black pepper
To serve
- 300 gsteamed rice
- 10 mlextra fish sauce
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients first: quarter the onion and tomatoes, peel and slice the daikon, trim the water spinach, and make sure the prawns are deveined. Keeping the shells on gives the broth more flavour.
- 2
Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, daikon, and chilli. Lower to a steady simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the daikon is just tender and the tomatoes have softened enough to lightly break down into the broth.
- 3
Stir in the tamarind paste and fish sauce until fully dissolved. Taste the broth: it should be distinctly sour and savoury. Add the salt and black pepper, adjusting lightly since the fish sauce already brings salinity.
- 4
Add the prawns and simmer for 2-3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook them or they will become rubbery.
- 5
Add the water spinach and cook for 30-60 seconds, just until wilted but still bright green. Turn off the heat immediately to keep the vegetables fresh-tasting.
- 6
Serve the sinigang hot with steamed rice on the side and extra fish sauce for diners who want a saltier finish.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •If fresh tamarind is available, simmer about 60 g peeled tamarind pulp in the broth, mash, and strain for a more traditional flavour.
- •You can substitute the daikon with radish or add okra if desired, but keep the cooking brief for a beginner-friendly 30-minute version.
- •For the clearest broth, avoid vigorous boiling after adding the prawns.
- •If your prawns are very large, give them an extra minute; if small, start checking after 2 minutes.
Background
Sinigang is one of the most beloved soups in the Philippines, defined by its clean, mouthwatering sourness rather than heat. It can be made with many proteins, and Sinigang na Hipon is a popular coastal version that highlights the sweetness of prawns against tamarind's tang. The dish is a staple of home cooking and is especially appreciated for its comforting, everyday character.
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