How to Cook Sinigang na Baboy or Pork in Kamias Broth

Author:: EC Mendoza

After living in the city for 30 years, EC moved to the countryside. He writes about life in the mountains, dogs, plants, and cooking.

Pork Sinigang sa Kamias

Kamias Versus Tamarind-Based Powder

Who doesn't love pork sinigang? Who wouldn't like to slurp the steaming sour soup during lunch whether it's raining or scorching hot? Who wouldn't munch on crunchy vegetables? Nobody can resist the chewy and tender piece of cooked pork. Everybody loves the tasty sinigang!

My favorite is pork sinigang. I always buy a kilo of pork ribs on market day, which is every Thursday, because I find the bony part quite tasty in soup-based dishes. I will choose the cheapest vegetables: kangkong leaves, a couple of long white radish, and tomatoes. The vegetables are all freshly picked from the farms nearby that morning and the pig was slaughtered at dawn. Alas! I won't be doing justice to all these fresh ingredients by adding a packet of tamarind, processed and turned to powder.

Kamias, or Bilimibi in English

The Elusive Kamias

There are numerous sour fruit-bearing trees to choose from. Mango and santol trees are abundant in the area. Even the famous tamarind trees are present. These are quite sour when unripe. Unfortunately, they are not in season so I looked for other sour fruit.

I decided to get the sour taste for my sinigang from the elusive kamias. These are small fruits with green-yellow tinge in color. They are long and oblong. Their sour taste, when unripe, can cause your eyes to squint. They are not well-known and thus, always absent in the market.

Kamias, or Vinagrillo in Spanish

Kamias' Scientific Name is Averrhoa bilimbi L.

Kamias is also called in English terms: 'bilimibi,' 'bilimbi tree,' 'cucumber tree,' 'pickle tree,' and 'sorrel tree.' Scientific name is: Averrhoa bilimbi L. It has different names locally such as: iba, kalamias, kalingiwa, kiling-iba, pias, and many more. Other countries have also their name for kamias: biri-biri in Brazil, huang gua shu in China, kaling pring in Thailand, khe tay in Vietnam, vinagrillo in Spain, birinbi in Japanese and more.

Name of Kamias in Other Countries


English	Tree Sorrel, Pickle Tree, Cucumber Tree, Bilimbi Tree, Bilimibi
Spanish	Indias, Mimbro, Vinagrillo
Chinese	Ma hu gua, Xiang yang tao, Huang gua shu, Suan guo
Brazilian	Bilimbim, Biri-biri, Limao de caiena, Azedinha
Creole	Bimbling plum, Blimblin
French	Carambolier bilimbi, Blimblim, Cornichon des Indes, Zibeline
German	Bilimbinaum, Gurkenbaum
Hindi	Bilimbi
Indonesian	Belimbing asam, Belimbing wuluh
Japanese	Birinbi, Nagabanogorenshi
Khmer	Tralong tong
Malay	Belimbing asam, Belimbing besu, Belimbing buloh, Belimbing wuluh
Russian	Bilimbi
Sinhalese	Bimbiri
Surinam	Birambi
Thai	Tà ling pling, Kaling pring
Vietnamese	Khe tay

Bilimibi Tree

Kamias Fruits Sprout on Trunks and Branches
Own Photo

Kamias is Rich in Vitamin C

Kamias is not a popular food flavoring but it is well-known as stain remover. Squeeze the juice of an unripe fruit to the stain on the cloth and expose it under the sun. The flower of kamias is infused to boiling water and used to treat cough. Even the leaves are used as skin disorder remedy, such as: mumps and acne.

In some areas, kamias is made into wine, vinegar, and pickles. Its juice is blended into refreshing drinks, rich in vitamin C. Kamias trees are also seasonal fruit-bearers.

Kamias Flower Can Treat Cough

Cooking for Two

I was fortunate to find a kamias tree in the neighborhood. Braving the barking of three large dogs who guard the precious tree, I asked the owner for a few kamias fruit. He gave me one small bag.

I divided the pork when it was boiled because I will cook just for two people. The other half will be cooked as nilagang baboy or caldereta.

All Fresh Ingredients

Vegetables for Sinigang: Labanos, Kangkong Leaves, Onion, Siling Haba, Tomato
Own Photo

Prepare the Ingredients

1/2 kilo pork ribs, boiled until tender
1 pc medium onion, quartered
3 pcs medium tomatoes, quartered
1 pc long green chili, cut into two
12 pcs kamias, cleaned and whole
2 pcs long white radish, sliced
1 small bundle kangkong leaves

Wash and Cut the Vegetables Thoroughly

Onion

How to Cook

Wash and boil the pork meat until tender. (If you bought it fresh and newly slaughtered, spill the water from first boil and wash the pork meat again. I do not want the dregs of cooked blood on my pork sinigang.)
Add the onion, tomatoes, long green chili, and kamias. Cover and let boil.
Mash the tomatoes and kamias with a large spoon against the side of the pot. A sour aroma will emit from the pot.
Add the slices of radish. Add a pinch of salt. Cover the pot again.
After 5 minutes, add the kangkong leaves. Cover for another 5 minutes. (In our pork sinigang, I let it boil for another 10 minutes because we prefer the vegetables soft and mushy.)
Serve hot with bowls of steamed rice. Yummy!