Sugpo is a species of shrimp. It looks exactly like shrimp except it is pretty big compared to ordinary shrimp.Sugpo is very delicious and very nutritious sea-food. In 5-star restaurants in the Philippines, sugpo is usually categorized as specialty and one of the most expensive food. The best way to cook sugpo is to make it a Sinigang na sugpo (stew). Sinigang is a Filipino stew which is flavored with tamarind extract or tamarind powder like Knorr sinigang mix and mixed with vegetables. Cooking Sinigang na Sugpo is like cooking other sinigang variety like fish sinigang or pork sinigang.
Ingredients in making Sinigang na Sugpo:
- 1/2 kg Sugpo
- 1 sliced onion, regular size
- 2 pcs. sliced tomato
- 5 pcs. okra
- 10 pcs. sitaw (string beans) cut to strips
- 5 kangkong leaves
- 1 pc. sliced labanos (radish)
- 1 tsp. salt
- msg (optional)
- 3 cups of water
- 1 tbsp. of tamarind powder or 1/2 cup of fresh tamarind extract.
Procedure in cooking Sinigang na Sugpo:
- In a casserole, heat oil and saute onion and tomato
- Add sugpo and cook for at least 5 minutes or until it becomes orange.
- Add Okra, sitaw and labanos on top then cover for 5 minutes. The natural juice of sugpo and vegetables will come out. It will make the sinigang very tasty.
- Add 3 cups of water then let it boil for 5 minutes.
- Add kangkong leaves and tamarind flavor.
- Season to taste.Cover.
- Boil for another 5 minutes then remove from heat.
- Serve hot with rice
Sinigang na Sugpo is best served during lunch.