Kinamatisang Baka
Beef and tomato soup
Krizell•Oct 27, 2024
Kinamatisang Baka. If I had to describe it, I’d say it's as if nilaga and sinigang had a baby. It’s similar to nilaga in the sense that it has that delicious beef broth flavor and the use of bokchoy, and similar to sinigang because of the use of tomatoes – however – it doesn’t have that super sour flavor that sinigang is known for. Instead, it has a mild sourness from the tomatoes but nothing too over the top or in your face. This soup reminds me of me and my husband because his favorite filipino soup is nilaga and mine is sinigang. Did I tell you that he actually doesn’t like sinigang? I know, I know. Like the whole sinigang series is his nightmare haha but anyways, like in any relationship – we’ve found a way to compromise – and for us it's kinamatisan baka.
Hi, I’m Krizell, a third culture kid and second-generation Filipino American. I’m passionate about preserving our Filipino heritage through food and hope you give these recipes a try!
Instructions
Parboil the short ribs by bringing them to a boil in water. Once boiling, remove and set aside the short ribs, discard the water, and rinse the pot.
In a large pot, heat neutral oil (2 tsp) over medium-high heat. Add the onions (1) and garlic (4 cloves), cooking until the onions are soft, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes (3)and salt (½ tsp). Cook until the tomatoes are soft, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Return the short ribs to the pot and mix to combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Once simmering, add water (5 ½ cups)to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and skim off any impurities that float to the top. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 45-60 minutes.
When the meat is soft and tender, stir in the fish sauce and bok choy. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting the flavors to your liking.
