Pompano sinigang made with native katmon

On a rainy day (or any day), sinigang provides that heart-warming sourness that reminds one of home. Typically soured with sampaloc or tamarind, and mostly enjoyed with pork or fish, sinigang actually comes in many variations depending on the meat used and the souring agent applied.

For this recipe, I used my favorite and affordable fish from our merkado or local market here in Quezon City: pompano. According to Fishbase pompano is also called ampahan in Bisaya, apahan in Waray, Ba-ulo in Hiligaynon.

For the sourness, I used another traditional ingredient that is not as available as sampaloc: katmon or catmon. Katmon fruit come from a number of katmon tree species found in the Philippines, commonly from Dillenia philippinensis. I’ve used the actual fruit before in a previous recipe. The fruit is initially covered in a thick, pedal-like rind, but once peeled, a unique-looking fruit is revealed.

Since katmon fruit is not readily available, I was thankful to grab katmon powder processed by women leaders living and working in Real, Quezon. Their group is called Kilos Unlad ng Mamamayan ng Real, Inc. or KUMARE Inc. (Action to develop citizens of Real, “kumare” is also a term for fellow woman). They are now working on forest conservation projects in the Southern Sierra Madre. Currently they’ve partnered with the Haribon Foundation and they’ve developed “biodiversity-friendly enterprises” in which their catmon sinigang mix is one of their products.

My recipe for sinigang na pompano uses 2 packs of this catmon mix, and it brings a similar light sourness that you can find with kamatis or tomatoes. I personally like a strong sour flavor, so I’ll try 2+ packs next time or mix it with sampaloc.

To order your own catmon mix, contact the Haribon Foundation on social media at @goharibon, or call/text KUMARE staff directly at 0928-983-1367 and Ms. Emma at 0912-313-2254.

Ingredients

• Vegetables
  • 3 kamatis or tomato, sliced
  • 4 siling haba
  • 1 tali or small bunch of dahong sili or spinach, stems removed
  • 2 red onions or 1 large white onion, sliced.
  • Half or full bulb garlic, peeled and diced
  • 1 bunch sitaw or 9-10 long beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces.
  • 1 medium talong or eggplant sliced
  • 1 medium gabi or taro root cut into cubes
• Meat
  • 1 kilo or 2 lbs pompano (about 2 medium sized fish), sliced
• Seasonings
  • 2 sachets catmon powder (or any sinigang mix) OR, 8 catmon fruit peeled and sliced, OR juice from 10-12 pieces sampaloc or tamarind that has been boiled, mashed, and separated from rind.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 3-4 cups water, preferably from hugas bigas or the 2nd and subsequent rinses of washing rice (adds a light texture and flavor from the rice).

Directions

1. Add oil to large pot on medium heat. Sautee onion and garlic until onion is glossy.
2. Add sitaw and gabi, toss for 6-8 minutes to soften the long beans.
3. Add talong and kamatis (add catmon if using catmon fruit). Toss for 3 minutes.
4. Add 3-4 cups water (add catmon powder, sinigang mix, or sampaloc juice if using this instead of catmon fruit)
5. Stir, then and add pompano slices until they are submerged. Add water if needed. Close pot and let simmer for 10 minutes. The flavors of the souring agents plus the cooking fish will combine.
6. Open pot and add salt and pepper to taste, but stir soup carefully as to not damage the softened fish too much.
7. Once fish is cooked, and gabi and sitaw are softened, you’re done.

More links about native trees

• Tree hugging the Bagras (aka Mindanao Gum, Rainbow Gum).
• Pinto Art Museum Arboretum.
• My katmon vegetable sinigang recipe.