Beef Sinigang Recipe

Beef and Vegetable Tamarind Stew

Beef Sinigang

Sinigang, the quintessential Filipino dish, consists of any type of meat or seafood prepared in a delicious spicy stew with vegetables and a fragrant tamarind gravy.Since “sinigang na baka” is basically beef stew in tamarind, we are free to use whatever cut of meat we have. And since we will be stewing it over a long period of time until it becomes very tender.

• 4 cups (1 liter) water
• 1 lb (500 g) beef ribs or stewing beef, cut into pieces
• 4 small tomatoes, sliced or one 10-oz (300-g) can peeled tomatoes
• 4 finger-length green chilies (siling mahaba), whole
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 heaped tablespoons tamarind pulp mixed with 
• 1 cup (250 ml) warm water, mashed and strained to obtain juice
• 3 potatoes (14 oz/400 g), peeled and cut into chunks
• 7 oz (200 g) green beans, cut into lengths
• 1 lb (500 g) water spinach, washed and trimmed, leaves and stalks separated, or
• 8 oz (250 g) spinach leaves, washed
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis) or 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the beef, tomatoes, chilies, onion and tamarind juice, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2 Add the potato chunks and simmer for another 25 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, add the green beans and spinach stalks and cook for 3 minutes. Season with the fish sauce or salt and a pinch of pepper.
 

3 Add the spinach leaves and cook for another 3 minutes until the leaves are wilted. Serve hot with freshly steamed rice.

Serves 4 
Preparation time: 25 mins 
Cooking time: 45 mins