All Time Favorite Kare-Kare #FilipinoFoodsPhilippines

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables, stewed oxtail, beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken, pork, beef, seafood or anything that inspire your appetite.. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi juice. Traditionally, any Filipino fiesta (particularly in Pampanga region) is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat. Filipinos loved this food; during fiesta or everyday cooking and even when they want to dine in the restaurant.

Ingredients:

300 g. of ox tripe
500 g. of ox tail
500 g. of ox leg
1 head of garlic
1 whole onion
2 bay leaves
salt
1/8 c. of annato seeds (or 1 tbsp. of annatto powder)
1/2 head of white cabbage
1 bunch of pechay (pei tsai or bok choy)
1 bunch of sitaw (yard-long beans)
2 eggplant
1 small puso ng saging (heart of banana plant)
1/2 c. of peanut butter
1/4 c. of rice flour
6-8 c. of stock

Procedures:

1. Rinse the ox tripe, tail and leg well. Place in a large casserole and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, removing scum as it rises. Cover and simmer until tender, about 4 to 6 hours. Alternatively, use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker. When the meat is tender, scoop out and transfer to a covered bowl. Set aside and keep hot.

2. Strain stock and measure 6 cups (you may need less but it’s better to be prepared).

3. If using annatto seeds, add them to the stock while still hot. Leave to allow the seeds to expel its beautiful color. Skip this step is using annatto powder.

4. Cut cabbage half into 2 and remove core. Cut off roots and 1/2 inch of stalks of pechay and discard. Cut of roots of sitaw and cut into 2″ lengths. Discard tough outer layers of puso ng saging and cut inner layers into 2″ x 2″ pieces . Cut the eggplants into 2″ x 2″ cubes.

5. Place the rice flour in a skillet and toast over medium-high heat until lightly browned and nutty in aroma. Set aside.

6. Strain the stock and discard the annatto seeds. Bring to the boil (if using annatto powder, add it now) and add vegetables in the following order with a 2-minute interval : sitaw, eggplant, puso ng saging, white cabbage and pechay. Scoop out the vegetables and arrange in the serving bowl alongside the meat.

7.Meanwhile, mix roasted rice flour with 1/2 c. of stock. Mix the peanut butter with another 1/2 c. of stock.

8. Reheat the stock in the pan. Pour in the rice flour mixture, stirring as your pour. Cook until a bit thickened, about three minutes. Stir in the diluted peanut butter. Simmer for about five minutes. Adjust the seasonings, if you like.

9. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Serve hot with bagoong alamang, if you like.