How to Cook Sinigang na Tanigue sa Sampalok

Sinigang na Tanigue sa Sampalok is a hearty Filipino soup featuring tender Spanish mackerel in a tangy tamarind and miso broth, balanced with fresh vegetables and subtle spices.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Fish Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: sinigang na tanigue, Spanish Mackerel in Tamarind Broth

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 273kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

1 1/2 kilos medium size tanigue Spanish Mackerel, about 2 pcs
3 cloves garlic minced
1 pc medium size onion chopped
1 inch piece of ginger sliced in strips
3 pcs tomatoes sliced into wedges
1/2 kilo fresh unripe tamarind
1/4 cup miso
3 pcs green chili or siling pansigang
3 bunches of mustard leaves or mustasa
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 tsp. Magic Sarap or any granulated seasoning
1 1/2 liters water
Patis fish sauce to taste

Instructions

How to cook Sinigang na Tanigue sa Sampalok:

Clean the tanigue by removing the gills and internal organs, divide the fish by slicing into 4 pcs each.
Wash in running water to clean the blood from the fish and set aside.
Boil the tamarind in 2 cups of water until tender. Cool. Then strain the tamarind and press it in the strainer to extract the juice in a bowl. Set aside.
In a pot, heat oil and saute garlic, onion, ginger for a few minutes then add the tomatoes and saute again for a few minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the miso and stir cook for a few minutes also then pour the water, tamarind juice and bring to a boil.
Boil for at least 5 minutes then add the green chili and season with patis and Magic Sarap.
After a minute or two, put the tanigue in boiling broth one by one then continue boiling for 2 minutes.
Then add in the mustard leaves and simmer for 1 minute then serve hot.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Use Fresh Tanigue for the Best Flavor

Fresh tanigue or Spanish mackerel is so delicate in flavor and firm in texture that this dish is just right for the tanigue. Be sure always to get fish that has clear eyes and a bright, shiny look to ensure quality. Fresh tanigue also holds well in the broth and absorbs the tangy flavors quite well without breaking apart.

Squish out Tamarind Juice Thoroughly

Boil the tamarind until it becomes soft and then you press through a strainer extracting all the juice. That is the only way you can get the full sourness of the tamarind, which complements the flavors in the broth. Skip this or strain it terribly, and the final broth could be an unexciting, limp, and rather disappointing dish.

Do Not Overcook the Fish

Tanigue cooks up quickly, so this must be avoided in boiling the soup. Adding the fish once the soup has reached a rolling boil, it should be cooked for only 2-3 minutes in order to keep the tenderness inside. Overcooking the fish may make it tough and dry, so one must watch the time counted in order to yield the best result.