Slow-Cooked Beef Short Rib Sinigang with Watermelon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-07 · Updated 2026-05-07

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender beef short ribs simmered in a tangy tamarind broth, balanced with refreshing cubes of watermelon for a surprising twist. This Filipino recipe, ready in about 155 minutes, pairs beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces, medium white onion, quartered, medium ripe tomatoes, quartered for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 410 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 135 min Serves 6 Filipino cuisine 410 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 kg beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium white onion, quartered
4 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered
4 tbsp tamarind paste (sampalok mix)
3 liters water
3 pieces green chili peppers
3 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
300 g watermelon, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
150 g radish, peeled and sliced
150 g water spinach (kangkong), trimmed
1 tsp black peppercorns
to taste salt

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Instructions

Step 1: Rinse 1 kg beef short ribs and place them in a large pot with 3 liters water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and skim off scum for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Add 1 quartered white onion, 4 quartered tomatoes, and 1 tsp black peppercorns. Cover and simmer for 2 hours until ribs are very tender.
Step 3: Stir in 4 tbsp tamarind paste and 3 tbsp fish sauce. Add 150 g sliced radish and 3 green chili peppers whole. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until radish softens.
Step 4: Add 150 g water spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
Step 5: Just before turning off the heat, add 300 g watermelon cubes to the pot, letting them warm gently for 1 minute to release sweetness without losing shape.
Step 6: Season with salt to taste and remove green chili peppers before serving for mild heat or leave them for spiciness.