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Spam luncheon meat and corned beef are two pantry items I always keep a steady supply of at home. Ideally, we like to limit processed foods for our meals, but sometimes, I need dinner in a hurry, and these canned goods are convenient and time-saving.
Along with the classic ginisa with potatoes and onions, I love to turn canned corned beef into filling frittatas as well as use in spaghetti sauce or in soups such as nilaga and this sinigang. I know it’s an unusual ingredient to incorporate in our traditional Filipino dishes, but I urge you to try it at least once! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how the salty flavor of cured beef goes well with the sour notes of the tamarind broth.
And not only does the sinigang na corned beef hearty and tasty, but it’s also quick and easy to make with no long simmering time required as with regular beef or pork cuts. It’s the perfect dish for busy weeknights!
Tips on How to Make Corned Beef Sinigang
- This is sinigang na corned beef is meant to be a quick recipe so I use canned corned beef, but feel free to use corned beef brisket if you like. Cut the meat into 2-inch chunks, cover with water, and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Add the vegetables and flavor with tamarind according to taste.
- I used the vegetables I had on hand, which were bok choy and radish in this case. Kangkong, yard beans, okra, gabi, and eggplant are also great additions to sinigang.
- To simplify the process, I also used tamarind soup mix base. If you prefer fresh, boil the tamarind pods in about 1 cup of water until softened. Place in a colander set over a bowl and press the softened fruit with the back of a spoon to extract pulp. Discard the seeds and skins and add the pulp to the soup as desired.
- For extra depth of flavor, use rice washing in place of plain water.
- Want a hint of spice? Add a piece or two of finger chili peppers (siling haba)
- For the best result, make sure to use CHUNKY corned beef and gently break into large pieces. Limit stirring the soup to keep the meat intact.
What are the Different Kinds of Sinigang
While sampaloc is the most popular flavor base in sinigang, other souring agents such as green mango, calamansi, guava, kamias, and watermelon are also used for variety. Below is a list of the delicious nashville filipino food variety of sour soups on the blog.
- Salmon Belly Sour Soup with Kamias
- Shrimp Sinigang with Calamansi
- Bulanglang na Bamgus at Hipon
- Sinigang na Hito sa Miso
- Sinigang na Baka sa Bayabas
Corned Beef Sinigang
Ingredients
- 5 cupswater
- 1small onion, peeled and quartered
- 2Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1tablespoonfish sauce
- 16-inch radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch thickness
- 1/2packagetamarind soup base mix (about .70 ounce)
- 2bunchesbok choy, ends trimmed
- 1can(11.5 ounces) chunky corned beef
- salt to taste
Instructions
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In a soup pot over medium heat, combine water, onion, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
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Add radish. Lower heat and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp.
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Add tamarind soup base mix and stir until dissolved.
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Add bok chop and cook for about 1 minute.
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Add corned beef and cook, breaking apart into large chunks with a spoon, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
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Season with salt to taste. Serve hot.
