Sinigang is one of the Filipino classic dishes. It’s a sour soup of many variants. It may be of beef, pork, fish or chicken. For this post, we’ll be cooking sinigang with beef (baka). And for this kind of sinigang, guava fruit (bayabas) is the perfect match in making the soup.
On a personal note, sinigang na baka is not all sour. There’s a bit of sweetness to it, too. Its soup is heavier than that of sinigang na baboy (pork); perhaps because of the flesh of the guava fruit which adds to the thickness of the dish. It does make a lot of sense that the guava fruit makes this beef dish rich and tasty because it is a sweet fruit (when eaten) and packed with Vitamic C (acid) at the same time.
Honestly though, while I know from menus in Filipino restaurants and dried packets of sinigang mixes that guava may be used in cooking sinigang, I haven’t really tried cooking with guava until my hubby introduced me to it. I’d say this dish is very easy to cook. You just need to have patience as it takes time to tenderize the meat. The procedure is very similar with the other variations of the sinigang, with just a few added steps.
Sinigang na Baka sa Bayabas
Ingredients
- 1 kh Beef spare ribs 1(or any part, preferably with bones)
- 5 pcs Whole tomatoes uncut
- 6-8 cloves Garlic bruised
- 3 pcs Onions chopped
- Okra
- Kangkong swamp cabbage, water spinach
- Sitaw string beans - optional
- Gabi taro - optional
- 3-5 pcs Guava ideally not fully ripened
- 2 tbsp Salt
- Fish sauce to taste
- 1.5-2 ltrs Water (Depends on the part of beef, the lesser the bones the fewer the water)
- Long green chili optional but desired
Instructions
- Put the beef in a pot with water and salt.
- Scoop out the scum after 10 minutes or just when the water is about to boil.
- Put in the garlic, onions, tomatoes and guava.
- Let it boil under low heat for about an hour.
- When the meat is tender, add in the vegetables.
- Season with fish sauce to taste.
- When the vegetables change colour into a more vibrant green, they are cooked.
- Put the long green chili on top.
- Turn of the heat and let it sit for several minutes.
- Serve with hot rice.
Video
Notes
- No need to cut through the tomatoes and guava. Let them soften and be in one with the dish as it cooks.
- Depending on the thickness of the meat and the heat, you may need to extend the hour to 10-20 minutes. In my case, I don’t mind the wait because the final product would be meat off the bones tender. Also, avoid opening the pot every now and even. If you feel the need to stir, do so after 30 minutes and that’s it. Leave the dish and let it cook.
- I hope I gave you a very clear idea on how to cook sinigang na baka sa bayabas. Remember me when you cook!
- Read more Filipino Recipes
About Sinigang na Baka sa Bayabas
The Filipino soup sinigang is often thick and creamy, and made with beef, water spinach, and fresh guavas. It’s a comforting meal that is delicious and healthy, and is especially good for rainy days. This soup is typically made with beef shank, a tough, sinewy cut of beef. The meat is slow-cooked in water for the flavors to combine, and can be substituted with pork, chicken, or fish.
The broth used in the soup is often made with tamarind, tomatoes, garlic, and onions. It’s also commonly made with tarocorms to add starch and thicken the broth. In addition to beef shank, the recipe often includes green long peppers, which add a tangy flavor and thicken the broth. Miso is a local ingredient that can be substituted for the meat.
When making sinigang na baka sa bayabas, the meat is rubbed with salt and cooked for 45 minutes. Once the water is boiling, the guavas and courgettes should be added. Add the sachet of sinigang na bayabas and continue to cook the soup. This dish is best enjoyed during rainy days and on a day when the weather is wet.
The soup’s sour flavor is balanced by a sweet component. In this soup, guava serves as the base for tamarind, a sour and bitter fruit. It is best served with steamed rice. You can also serve it with meat. Alternatively, it is served as a side dish with grilled chicken. This dish is a popular staple in many parts of the country.
The traditional Filipino soup is made using beef and guava. When cooking with beef, you’ll want to simmer the beef shank until the water begins to thicken. Adding fresh guavas, water spinach, and tamarind powder will make the soup thick and flavorful. A gambay-styled dish may be a little too much of a challenge to prepare, but it’s well worth the effort.
The classic Filipino soup is made with beef, water spinach, and fresh guava. Besides beef, this soup can be made with pork, fish, or chicken. But the most traditional flavor comes from beef. The broth contains a combination of pork, guavas, and guavas. Lastly, the traditional Filipino soup is made with water spinach. It’s best to cook it on a low, moist heat.
The classic Filipino soup is made with beef, water spinach, and guava. The broth is thickened by tamarind, garlic, onions, and kangkong leaves. When preparing the soup, it’s best to cook the meat first. Once the meat is tender, the rest of the ingredients can be added. The flavor enhances the flavor of the soup, and the dish can be enjoyed with steamed rice.
In addition to beef, the soup can be made with fresh guavas and water spinach. It can also be prepared with tomato sauce. To give it a different taste, you can use other fruits and vegetables. For example, guavas and water spinach are the main ingredients of this dish. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the beef and guavas, and simmer for a few minutes.
The Filipino version of this soup is called sinigang na baka sa bayabas and is a tamarind-based soup. It is made with beef, pork, or fish. While pork and fish sinigang have the same ingredients, fish sinigang differs slightly in preparation. For the beef version, the meat is boiled, but the fish is cooked in the broth separately.
This beef sinigang with guavas is a delicious dish that is a great main course. Serve it with rice and a spicy fish sauce. If you have leftovers, you can store the beef sinigang na baboy in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want to serve it the next day, simply microwave it for two to three minutes at a time.
