Shrimp Soup

Shrimp Soup

There are so many ways to prepare this popular dish. The sour taste comes from unripe or young tamarind pods, but the soup can also be made with guavas, pineapples, unripe tomatoes, or calamansi limes instead. Leave the shrimp heads on because they add flavor and aroma to the soup.

Ingredients:

10 unripe tamarind pods, shelled (or 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate or 1 packet sinigang powder, page 16)

12 cups (3 liters) water

5 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of knife

1/4 lb (125 g) daikon radish, chopped

One 2-in (5-cm) piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1/4 lb (125 g) taro root (or potato), peeled and cubed

1/4 lb (125 g) okra, trimmed and sliced diagonally

1 tomato, sliced

1 lb (500 g) fresh shrimp, heads and shells on

1/2 lb (250 g) Chinese (Napa) cabbage or bok choy (or spinach), chopped

1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons fish sauce (plus extra for dipping if desired)

Serves 4 to 6 

Preparation time: 25 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Direction:

1. Boil the shelled tamarind in a saucepan with 4 cups (1 liter) of the water for about 20 minutes until soft. The tamarind has to be submerged. Add more water if necessary. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the mixture into a bowl, mashing the pulp with the back of a spoon to force it through the strainer. Discard the pulp and seeds. Set aside the tamarind liquid.
2. Pour the remaining 8 cups (2 liters) of water into a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add the garlic, radish, ginger, taro root, and tamarind liquid (or the tamarind concentrate or the sinigang powder) and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add the okra, tomato, shrimp, Chinese cabbage, and salt, and 5 tablespoons fish sauce and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice and fish sauce, if using.