How To Cook The Best Sinigang Na Tambakol Sa Miso

Sinigang is one of the popular cooking styles of Filipino. It is a stew or soup distinguished by its savory and sour taste. The most used souring agent for it is the sampalok (tamarind). 

Other souring agents can be other sour fruits.

On this note, we will help you on how to make the best Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso using tamarind extract. 

Filipino's love for stewing fish is evident in their cuisines. It helps that the Philippines are not short on the sea produce for seas surround it. One of the popular fishes is the Tambakol (Yellowfin Tuna), which is abundant in the region of General Santos City in the Philippines.

So be with us, as we take you to an in-depth history of what is Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso is all about and where it came from.

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What is Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso

Miso is a potent Japanese seasoning made from fermenting soybeans with kǒji and salt and sometimes with barley, seaweed, rice, or other ingredients. 

The byproduct is a thick paste used for spreads, and sauces, pickling meat or vegetables with stock. Miso played a vital nutritional role in feudal Japan.

Sinigang is an original Filipino style of cooking that goes way back, but what we don't exactly know is when did the use of Miso have entered the Filipino culinary scene. 

It might be around World War II when the Japanese invaded the Philippine archipelago. Although if the Chinese used it Miso as well, then the history of it in the Philippines goes way further back.

Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso is just another of many Sinigang variants in Philippine cuisines. In this recipe, we will use the Tambakol (yellowfin tuna) and add Miso (fermented soybeans) and rely on unripe tamarind for its tartness. In the next section, we will introduce the methods you can use to cook this tangy seafood soup effectively.

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Ways to Cook Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso

If you have these pieces of equipment other than your stove at home, then you are lucky because this will make your kitchen time shorter and effortless. 

Instant Pot - the beauty of this equipment is that it cooks food fast while keeping it as healthy as possible. In this version, you need 20 mins to cook everything by putting all the ingredients inside the Pot.

The smell of this dish will surely fill your home with savory and tanginess, but if you want to add more aroma to it, you may dump a bundle of lemongrass in the Pot. In under 20 mins, your Instant pot Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso will be ready for your waiting palate.

CrockPot -  another appliance to make your kitchen time a lot easier and shorter. In this method, there is a high and low temperature where you can set your food to cook. These modes will determine the time duration of how long your food will cook.

Set up your dish by putting the meat, onion, tomatoes, chilies, and the tamarind together with the Miso, then set it on high temperature. Let it cook for several minutes. Put the rest of the ingredients and let it cook for a few minutes. 

Serve your CrockPot Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso hot with plain white rice.

Pressure Cooker - this is the most classic among the types of equipment we have listed here (if you don't have the electric one). You can make just as tasty and pungent Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso if you have the one that uses the stove. 

Place everything inside the Pot and walk away. Make sure you don't cook this for the whole day or several hours; otherwise, the meat will get mushy. Serve your Pressure Cooker Sinigang na Tambakol sa Miso with steamed rice. 

Slow Cooker - this equipment is almost the same function as the CrockPot, where you cook food on a high or low temperature. This method will absolutely give your seafood soup the right texture and perfect taste.

Please put all your ingredients inside and let it cook for over less than 30 minutes. If you are using frozen fish meat and some more minutes to it, you'll see a super moist and tender Tambakol all because of the slow cooking mechanism. Serve hot with brown rice.

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Variations 

Vegan Sinigang sa Miso

This version has no seafood or meat in them. Strictly all vegetables soaked in the tartness of the tamarind juice. If you are wondering what you can substitute for the flesh, there is what you call vegetable dumplings that you can buy anywhere in the market. 

Another meat substitute you can put is mushroom. There are several mushroom selections in the market like button mushroom (the most popular edible mushroom), oyster mushroom, or shitake mushroom. 

Follow the same procedures of this dish, and you will savor the same taste of tartness and savory flavor of your very own Vegan Sinigang sa Miso.

Low Carb Sinigang sa Miso

In this variant, you may use the veggies of your choice. You can use one or two types of seafood in this dish. For example, shrimps and Tambakol, or if you want a much healthier alternative, you can use Salmon to it.

Saute your onion, garlic, ginger, and Miso with a dash of fish sauce for another umami flavor. Then toss in your seafood, saute until well coated. Pour in water and let it boil for several minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

If you are on a strict diet which excludes rice, you can eat this Low Carb Sinigang sa Miso as it is because the soup itself will be enough to make you full.

Sinigang sa Kamias na Isda sa Miso

As mentioned here, another fruit that you can use as a souring agent is kamias or otherwise known as bilimbi. Kamias is highly acidic and so could make a perfect Sinigang on any occasion.

Though it is not widely bred, it has been gaining attention in recent years due to its many medicinal values and health benefits.

Substitute your tamarind (sampalok) with kamias. If you want a cheaper choice and most accessible fish, you may opt for Tilapia as it is readily available in the market.

With the same procedure and together with how you tweak this recipe will make you a perfect, hot steaming bowl of Sinigang sa Kamias na Isda sa Miso.

Sinigang na Bangus Belly sa Miso

Another version of this dish to make your home cozy with its pungent, appetizing smell during the rainy season. Sinigang na Bangus Belly sa Miso is a variant to love. 

For this adaptation, you will need fillets of boneless Bangus Belly, which is readily available in the wet market or grocery stores. Add daikon radish (labanos) for its spicy, and tartness will complement this dish so well that you will be craving for more bowls of its soup than necessary.

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Troubleshooting

Though this dish is relatively simple to make, some mistakes are unavoidable. Here are the lists of how to remedy some mishaps, and we hope it will help you salvage your dish.

• Soup too thin- if you did not achieve the soup's consistency, you may add another chunk of taro (gabi). Taro will change the texture of your soup from being thin to velvety dramatically.
• Too sour - add some natural sweet from caramelized onion or add some salt to cancel out the stew's acidity.
• Too bland - if this occurs, it means your tamarind isn't too potent enough. You may use a natural souring agent from your kitchen such as lemon, calamansi, or if you don't have any of these, you may use a concentrated powdered tamarind packet.
• Overcooked veggies - there's no way to undo the doneness of these veggies. So, you may take them out, make another soup out of it, and add some fresh batches in the stew. 
• Overcooked fish - overcooked fish meat is a horror story you wouldn't want to encounter in the kitchen. Still, if ever out of some freaky moment you did overcook it, the only way you can salvage it is by mashing it and fry it and turn it into a whole different dish while adding some fresh batch of fish in your stew (take out the veggies so it won't overcook, too!)

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Trivia

Here in Eat Like Pinoy, we give high importance to what's in the food we eat. To encourage you to cook this delectable, zesty dish is the best decision you will ever make during the meal planning, here are the nutritional benefits you could get from a bowl of this knockout stew.

• Miso -  you would be amazed about how Miso can do wonders in your health. Miso is high in essential minerals and an excellent source of various B vitamins. 

As it is a fermented seasoning, Miso provides good bacteria that is beneficial to the gut; 

Thus, it helps us to stay happy, healthy, and vibrant. Good gut condition is linked to the overall physical and mental wellness.

• Tambakol (yellowfin tuna), like any other fish, it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and the combination of potassium brings an anti-inflammatory effect to the cardiovascular system, which helps lower blood pressure, heart attacks, and risk of stroke.

Additionally, tuna has a high content of vitamin C, zinc, manganese, and selenium; this helps strengthen the immune system.

• Taro (gabi) - this root crop is also an excellent source of resistant starch and fiber, which is linked to its many health benefits, such as improved blood sugar levels, cardiac health, gut health, and body weight.

It also contains a variety of polyphenols, and antioxidants, that protect the skin from free-radicals damage and potential risk of cancer. 

• Daikon radish - You'd be surprised to know that radish is high in vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium. Also, it contains various beneficial enzymes that improve digestion and phytonutrients, which help to fight cancer risks.

It is worthy to note that both the seeds and the root of the daikon radish are healthy.

• Mustard (leaves) - as it is widely known, it comes with a dozen varieties, and all of them are packed with nutrients. The leaves have a notable amount of copper, vitamins C, A, K, and calcium, while the seeds are specifically rich in selenium, fiber, manganese, and magnesium. 

Mustard leaves are edible even when eaten raw, making them suitable additional to soups, stews, and salads. They can be prepared as the same as how spinach is prepared but will produce a somewhat zesty, sharper, radish-taste like to your meals.

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Tips

Here are some tips to help you level up your Sinigang game. 

• pressure cooking will make the fish' bones melt in your mouth, so if you have one that would be an awesome additional texture, eh?
• To take out the fishy smell of the fish rubbing salt to it will do the trick. It will taste better when cooked, too.
• If you don't want to saute the fish using oil, boil it together with the rest of the ingredients (except the green leafy veggies) for about 10-15 minutes.
• Before putting the meat in any Cooker electric or stove, fry it first as it will help your fish to not disintegrate inside the Pot.
• Saute the fish with fish sauce. This sauce will boost the umami coming from the Miso as the fish sauce is also umami itself.

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Best Served With

This dish is fulfilling enough when eaten alone, but to add more to your appetite, we listed down some of the foods that will best complement the savory taste and flavor.

• Fried chicken - There's no doubt that this dish will be a great combination of our Sinigang due to their contrasting taste and flavors. The fried chicken's crunchiness will boost your enthusiasm when paired with a tangy soup such as this seafood soup. Try it!
• Fried Rice - plain rice is okay, no doubt about it, but if you want to eat this with effort, you may fry your leftover rice, putting in some herbs and spices to it. We promise you, your meal experience will never be the same.
• Bread - bread-like cheese bread, cheese rolls, toasted bread, or simply pandesal will make an excellent accompaniment to this dish. The appeal would be the distinct taste of the two. Sweet for sour will come along way, especially with your appetite.

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Conclusion

Sinigang will always be Filipino's choice as the number one comfort soup when it rains or when it shines. We hope we encourage you to try this recipe as you find new inspiration to do so with all the information we have provided. And if you did, please feel free to talk to us, we like to hear from you!

For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!

Recipe