Sinigang

Make the broth: Wash the tamarind and place in a large pot. Add enough water just to cover the fruit. Bring to a boil then allow to simmer until tamarind is tender, about 30 minutes. Once soft, let the mixture cool. When cool enough to handle, use your hands to mash the fruit in the water.

To remove the seeds and peel, strain the mixture through a large colander. Then run the tamarind broth through a sieve to make sure all other bits of the fruit are discarded. Add the rock salt to the cloudy yellow broth and set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat oil and sauté the onions, tomatoes, and ginger. Add the tamarind broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Add prawns, radish, and string beans. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the eggplant. When all the vegetables are tender, season with fish sauce and turn off the heat. Add kangkong leaves and stems. Serve hot. Souring tip: If you like your sinigang very sour, use the same procedure but add 1/2 kilo more of tamarind fruit to make the broth. Once you have your broth after straining, reduce it on a low simmer. This will make a more concentrated broth that you can either store for future use, or use to make an extra tart sinigang.