Bayabas is the small native guava you find at the palengke. It's not the same as the big guavas in grocery stores. Those are imported varieties bred for eating fresh: crunchy, mild, and not very fragrant. Native bayabas is softer and seedier, with a strong, sweet smell when ripe, and that smell is what you want in this soup. Look for guavas with yellow-green skin that give slightly when pressed. Hard green ones are too sour and won't mash. Bruised, mushy ones are past their prime.
Sinigang sa bayabas is a common way to sour the soup, but it splits people. Anyone raised on sampalok expects a sharp, clean sourness, and guava doesn't deliver that. It's sweet-sour and fruity, and the pulp makes the broth thicker and cloudier. For those who love it, that's the appeal.
It's often made with fish, but we like ours with beef. Beef holds up to the guava's sweetness, and short ribs bring fat, bone, and collagen, so the broth comes out rich enough to balance the fruit. Bone-in beef shank works too.
A few things here aren't standard. The beef gets browned and the tomatoes are cooked down until jammy before any water goes in, which builds a deeper base than boiling everything together. Fresh guava brings the aroma and body, and the sinigang mix adds extra sourness. Mashing some of the gabi leans into the thick broth bayabas sinigang is known for.
Not as sharp as sampalok, sinigang sa bayabas is sweet-sour and fruity, and we like ours made with tender, fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs.
Brown beef: Pat short ribs very dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. In batches, brown beef on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Sauté aromatics: Lower heat to medium and add onion. Cook until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to break down into a jammy consistency, about 8-10 minutes.
Simmer beef: Return beef to the pot and pour in water. Scrape the bottom to release any browned bits. Bring to a boil, skimming off scum that rises to the surface. Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 2-2 ½ hours, or until beef is tender and the meat pulls back from the bone. Add hot water if liquid reduces too much.
Prep guava: While beef is simmering, halve the guavas and scoop out the seedy center into a bowl. Add 1 cup of water to the seeds and mash with a fork. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the seeds. Cut guava flesh into wedges.
Add gabi and guava: Once beef is nearly tender, add gabi, sili, guava flesh, and guava juice. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until gabi is tender. Mash a few pieces of gabi for a thicker broth.
Season: Add patis and sinigang sa bayabas mix. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust with more patis or sinigang mix as needed.
Add greens: Add sitaw and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Add kangkong and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until wilted.
