Sinigang Pompano
Charred whole pompano stuffed with sinigang seasoning, calamansi, and aromatics — broiled until the skin crisps. A high-protein Filipino dinner that hits 44g of protein per serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
The Story
Sinigang is usually a soup — sour, broth-based, loaded with vegetables. This isn't that. This is sinigang the seasoning, used as a dry rub on whole broiled pompano. You get the full sour-savory backbone of the classic flavor profile, without the watery cleanup.
Pompano is a Filipino household fish — firm, mild, and dense enough to stand up to high broiler heat. Stuffed with Roma tomato, red onion, and calamansi, every bite is bright and savory. Pair it with 5 oz of cooked rice and you've got a 543-calorie plate that's packed with 44 grams of protein.
Ingredients
- 5 pompano, cleaned and gutted
- 2 packets sinigang seasoning mix
- 1 Roma tomato, quartered
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 5 calamansi, halved
- Garlic salt to taste
- 5 oz cooked white rice (per serving)
Instructions
Buy clean fish. Have your fishmonger clean and gut the pompano before you leave the counter. It saves you the mess and shaves a solid 10 minutes off your prep at home.
Prep the filling. Slice the red onion thin, quarter the Roma tomato, and halve the calamansi.
Season. Sprinkle garlic salt and sinigang seasoning generously over both sides of each fish and inside the cavity. Don't be shy — pompano is mild and takes seasoning well.
Stuff the cavity. Tuck tomato, red onion, and a few calamansi halves inside each fish.
Broil side one. Place the fish on a lined sheet pan and broil at 475°F for 10–15 minutes. You're looking for a light char on the skin before flipping.
Flip and finish. Flip carefully (a fish spatula helps) and broil another 3–7 minutes until the second side chars and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
Plate and serve. Squeeze any remaining calamansi over the fish. Serve each portion with 5 oz of cooked white rice.
💡 Christian's Tips
- Clean and gutted at the counter. Saves you mess and prep time. If your market doesn't offer it, find one that does.
- Let the skin set before you flip. Don't flip until you see a real char. If you flip too early the skin tears and you lose the crisp.
- Calamansi sub. If you can't find calamansi, a 50/50 mix of lime and lemon juice gets you close. Key lime is the next-best single sub.
- Two packets is the move. One packet won't carry across five fish. Use two and finish with extra calamansi at the end.
FAQ
Can I use a different fish?
What if I don't have a broiler?
How do I know when it's done?
Is this still sinigang if it's not a soup?
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