Vegan Sinigang (Filipino Sour Tamarind Soup)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🧈 500g firm tofu
• 🍄 250g oyster mushrooms
• 🏺 3 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🥤 1,500ml tap water
• 🪸 5g kombu
• 🧅 1 medium onions
• 🍅 3 medium tomato
• 🫛 4 Tbsp tamarind
• 🥣 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 🪴 200g daikon radish
• 🍆 200g aubergine
• 🪴 150g green beans
• 🫑 2 medium banana pepper
• 🥬 150g water spinach
• 🍚 320g white rice (dry)

Method

1. Rinse the rice and cook it. Press the tofu dry and cut into 2.5 cm cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the tofu for 8 minutes, turning, until golden on all sides. Lift out. Fry the torn mushrooms in the same pan for 5 minutes until browned.
3. Put the water and kombu in a large pot and bring slowly to a simmer. Remove the kombu, then add the quartered onion and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the tamarind paste and soy sauce. Add the sliced daikon and simmer for 8 minutes.
5. Add the aubergine, cut into thick slices, the green beans, the whole long peppers, the tofu and the mushrooms, and simmer for 6–7 minutes until tender.
6. Taste. It should be properly sour and salty, so add more tamarind or soy sauce if needed.
7. Turn off the heat, stir in the water spinach (kangkong) or ordinary spinach, and let it wilt. Serve straight away with the rice.