About this recipe

A beloved Filipino sour soup that's deeply comforting and endlessly customizable. Tender pork ribs simmer in a tamarind-based broth with fresh vegetables until everything is melt-in-your-mouth soft. The signature sourness from tamarind is balanced by savory fish sauce and the natural sweetness of tomatoes and onions — a dish that feels like home no matter where you are.

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the pork spare ribs in a pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil ^[over high heat], skimming off any gray foam and impurities that rise to the surface.

2. 2

   Add the quartered yellow onion and tomatoes to the pot. Reduce heat ^[to medium], cover, and simmer for 30–35 minutes until the pork spare ribs is nearly tender when pierced with a fork.

3. 3

   Stir in the tamarind soup base mix and fish sauce. Add the daikon radish and eggplant (if using). Continue simmering uncovered for 10 minutes until the radish is just tender. Taste the broth and adjust sourness with more tamarind soup base mix or saltiness with more fish sauce.

4. 4

   Add the whole green chili peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add the water spinach last and stir gently — it only needs 1–2 minutes to wilt. Do not overcook the greens.

5. 5

   Season with freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into deep bowls and serve immediately with steamed white rice on the side. Extra fish sauce on the table lets everyone adjust to their taste.