Filipino sinigang na hipon (sour shrimp soup)

A Filipino seafood dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min

Organic sourcing

Buy organic water spinach and yardlong beans if possible. Leafy greens like spinach are often exposed to pesticides, so the organic option is better here. Shrimp should ideally be sustainably sourced.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh shrimp, heads and shells on
• 1 l water
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 100 g tamarind pulp
• 6 yardlong beans, cut into 5 cm pieces
• 1 small radish, sliced
• 1 cup water spinach (kangkong) leaves
• 2 green chilies, whole
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• to taste sea salt
• to taste ground black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and drain.
2. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
3. Add the onion, tomatoes, and tamarind pulp. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the broth to remove solids, pressing the pulp to extract maximum flavor, then return to the pot.
5. Add the shrimp, yardlong beans, radish, and green chilies to the broth.
6. Simmer for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
7. Stir in water spinach, and season the soup with fish sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

Notes

• Use tamarind paste if fresh tamarind is unavailable.
• Add more green chilies for a spicier version.
• Pair with steamed rice for a complete meal.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Filipino recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.