By Brian Jules Campued
Are you part of the sini-gang? Or are you a bula-lover? Surely, both are appetizing enough to be named among the best soups globally in international food website TasteAtlas’ latest list of “Top 100 Soups in the World.”
Updated last August 15, the all-time Filipino favorite sinigang (in general) ranked 17th with a 4.5 star rating, while one of its varieties, sinigang na baboy, earned 4.4 stars and landed at the 38th spot. Tagaytay’s specialty bulalo, also with 4.4 stars, is in 36th place.
Traditionally served piping hot as a main dish, sinigang can be flavored with different souring agents such as sampalok (tamarind tree fruit), guava, or mango. This traditional soup can be made with various types of meat, including pork, fish, shrimp, chicken, or beef.
The global food publication noted that while sinigang seasoning packs are widely available in supermarkets, “enjoying the dish made from scratch represents the full experience” of Filipino cuisine.
“With its sour lightness perfectly matching the harsh tropical heat of the country, sinigang is a unique soup that is a true representative of Filipino cuisine,” TasteAtlas said.
Meanwhile, bulalo’s robust flavor is perfect for dinner during cold weather—thanks to its broth “prepared by cooking beef shanks and marrow bones until the fat and collagen dissolve” into the soup.
“It is believed that this simple, comforting, and flavorful soup is the best when the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone,” TasteAtlas said.
Paraguay’s hearty meat and dumpling soup, vori-vori (bori-bori), topped the list—followed by Indonesia’s beef soups rawon and soto betawi in second and third place. Japan’s famous ramen and its Yokohama-style version ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
According to TasteAtlas, the soup list is based on ratings from its audience—with around 22,728 out of 39,129 ratings recognized as legitimate by ignoring bot, nationalist, or local patriotic ratings.
So, it may not be as soup-rising for you anymore but which is better accompanied with rice—sinigang or bulalo? – iro
