Keep warm with a comforting bowl of Sinampalukang Kambing! This Ilocano delicacy made of goat meat, unripe tamarind, and chili peppers is hearty, tasty, and delicious as an appetizer or main dish.
Sinampalukang Kambing is a hearty sour soup made from goat meat cooked low and slow until tender with unripe tamarind for sourness and green chili peppers for a kick of spiciness. Also known as Up and Down, the goat's head (Up) and feet (Down) are traditionally used in the soup.
This popular Ilocano delicacy is commonly served as a viand or appetizer (pulutan) with an ice-cold beer during fiestas and special gatherings. It is also believed to help reduce the effect of alcohol intoxication and even relieve hangovers.ย
It's somewhat similar to the popular sinigang, minus the vegetables. And like the sinigang, this Sinampalukang Kambing is best-enjoyed piping hot, either on its own or with steamed rice, for lunch or dinner, especially on those cold, gloomy days.
What you'll need
- Goat Meat โ the soup is traditionally made with goat head and feet, but you can also use other parts of the chevron as they're meatier and more accessible.
- Vinegar and salt- are used to marinate the meat to remove the unwanted stench and draw out the gamey flavor.
- Onion- gives the dish a rich umami flavor and subtle sweetness
- Ginger- gives the soup a peppery, spicy, and warm taste. It also helps tame the gamey odor and taste
- Unripe Tamarind- green tamarind is the soup's souring agent and base flavor. If fresh unripe tamarind is unavailable, you can use tamarind powder or tamarind paste.
- Fish Sauce- adds umami, savory flavor. You may replace it with salt if preferred.
- Finger Chili Peppers- also called siling haba or siling pangsigang; adds a mild heat
- Green Onions or scallions- adds freshness, flavor, and color
Cooking tips
- Soak the meat in vinegar to remove the gamey taste and speed up cook time. But donโt marinate for too long as vinegar is a strong acid and can dry out the meat, making it tough.
- You can also boil the goat meat in pandan leaves to remove the smell.
- Instead of vinegar, you can also marinate the meat in buttermilk or milk for 1 to 2 hours to manage the gamey flavor and help tenderize the meat.
- The older the goat, the longer it cooks. The meat is done when the skin is soft and gelatinous but still firm.
- Some recipes include young tamarind leaves for a sour-bitter flavor; feel free to add if you have any on hand.
How to serve and store
- Enjoy this sinampalukang manok piping hot with steamed rice for lunch or dinner. Serve with fish sauce and calamansi or lemon as a dipping sauce.ย ย
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a saucepan or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals until completely warmed, stirring well to distribute heat.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds goat head and feet (or other parts), cut into serving pieces
- 2 cups vinegar
- salt
- water
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 thumb-size ginger, pounded
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 pound unripe tamarind
- 5 finger chili peppers
- 1 bunch green onions, stemmed and chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine goat meat, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon salt. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Rinse meat and drain well.
- In a pot over medium heat, bring to a boil enough water to cover the meat. Add goat meat and boil for about 7 to 10 minutes or until scum begins to rise.
- In a colander, drain goat meat. Rinse the meat and the pot.
- In the clean pot, combine goat meat and about 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top. When the broth has cleared, add onion, ginger, and fish sauce.
- Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours or until tender. With a slotted spoon, remove ginger and discard.
- Wash tamarind and place in a pot with about 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and outer skins begin to burst. With a fork, mash tamarinds.
- In a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pour tamarind and liquid. Continue to mash with a fork, returning some of the liquid into the strainer once or twice, to fully extract the juice. Discard seeds and skins. Pour tamarind juice into the pot of meat.
- Add chili peppers and continue to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- Add green onions and cook for about 1 minute. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Teddy Sison Torio says
Please provide me how to prepare papaya atsara. Thank you so much.