Ingredients
3/4 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 3/4 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1" cubes
Kosher salt
1 medium daikon radish (about 8 oz.), peeled and sliced 1/4" thick, plus more thinly sliced for serving
1 bunch of scallions, light green parts cut into 2" pieces, dark green parts thinly sliced
12 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 small finger chiles (or other hot chiles), stems removed
5 c. water
1/2 c. tamarind concentrate (such as Kalustyan’s)
2 bay leaves
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.), cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes (about 8 oz. total)
14 shishito peppers (about 5 oz. total)
Cooked white rice, for serving
Preparation
Step 1In a food processor, pulse dried mushrooms until finely ground; set aside.Step 2In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season pork with 1 tbsp. salt. Working in batches, add pork to pot in an even layer and cook, turning occasionally, until just beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.Step 3Discard all but 2 tbsp. fat from pot. Add radish, light green scallion parts, garlic, chiles, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.Step 4Return pork along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in water, tamarind, bay leaves, and reserved mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until liquid is thickened slightly and pork is almost tender, 45 to 55 minutes.Step 5Stir in eggplant, tomatoes, and shishito peppers. Partially cover and continue to simmer until vegetables are very soft and pork falls apart when broken up with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes more.Step 6Remove from heat; season with salt. Discard bay leaves. Serve stew over rice. Top with sliced radishes and dark green scallion parts.
Sinigang means “stewed dish” in Tagalog, a broad term that encompasses many variations. This rendition features pork, tamarind, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and shishito peppers. Other traditional vegetables like okra, long beans, or green beans can be added or substituted for some of the other veggies. If you’re sensitive to heat, either scrape the seeds out of the chiles before cooking, or skip them entirely and serve sliced chiles for people to add to taste. Ground dried shiitake mushrooms are a secret umami-booster in this delicious stew. If you don’t have a food processor, use a mortar and pestle. Looking for other easy stews? Try our best-ever beef stew, shrimp stew, or chicken stew. Vegetarian? No problem. Vegan French onion stew and chickpea stew are both meat-free.
