Right up front, I want to tell you that I’m not of Filipino descent, nor have I had the pleasure of tasting an authentic bowl of Sinigang (which is Tagalog for “stewed [dish]”). However, I’ve heard of this dish for years and have yearned to try it. Being vegetarian, I haven’t found a Filipino restaurant that offers veggie options. If you have, PLEASE let me know where it’s at! In the meantime, I want to thank Vicki for reminding me that this soup exists and encouraging me to try to make it myself. Being Mexican, I am always excited about any food with tamarind in it! And I can’t seem to get enough caldo (stew), no matter the weather or time of day. So, here’s my attempt at making a pot of vegetarian Sinigang using in-season veggies from this week’s Fresh Five CSA.
INGREDIENTS:
2 small onions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs oil (palm, or olive)
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (these, I get from our local vietnamese market)
12 cups water
28oz can of tomato sauce or 4 fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
2 or 3 tbs tamarind paste (more if you love sour; I use Aunt Patty’s Tamarind Paste, which I can usually find at Sprouts. I love it because I don’t have to spend a bunch of time picking seeds out)
3 cups turnips or radish, chopped
3 cups carrots, chopped
1 bunch of turnip greens and/or spinach, finely chopped (2 to 3 cups)
1 or 2 boxes tofu (depending on whether you want this soup as a side dish or the main course)
1 tbs salt
1 tbs pepper
miso paste
microgreens (This week, we have kale, kohlrabi and arugula. The more spicy ones are great for soup toppings, too—Try last week’s cress!)
Instructions:
1. Saute onions in oil (I used palm oil) until translucent and slightly browned
2. Add garlic and shiitake and saute for another minute
3. In a pot, add water, tamarind paste, tomato, chopped root veggies, greens, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are cooked.
4. Serve hot and mix in a spoonful of miso paste to each bowl. Top with a handful of microgreens.