Kare-Kare

About This Recipe

Kare-kare is considered one of the crown jewels of Filipino cuisine — a rich, golden peanut-based stew traditionally made with oxtail and an array of vegetables, always served with the essential accompaniment of shrimp paste (bagoong). It is the dish reserved for celebrations, fiestas, and family reunions, demanding time and attention but rewarding magnificently.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgoxtail(cut into pieces)
• 200 groasted peanuts(ground to paste)
• 2 tbsppeanut butter
• 3 tbsptoasted rice powder
• 1 largeonion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspannatto powder(for colour)
• 2 litreswater
• 1 bunchbanana blossom or bok choy(trimmed)
• 200 gyard-long beans(cut into 5 cm pieces)
• 3 tbspshrimp paste (bagoong)(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil oxtail

   Simmer oxtail in water with onion and garlic 2–2.5 hours until very tender. Reserve stock.

2. 2

   Make peanut sauce

   In a large pot, sauté garlic in oil. Add annatto powder. Pour in 1.5 litres reserved stock. Stir in ground peanuts, peanut butter, and toasted rice powder. Simmer 10 min.

3. 3

   Add oxtail

   Add cooked oxtail to the peanut sauce. Simmer 15 min.

4. 4

   Add vegetables

   Add beans and banana blossom. Cook 8–10 min until vegetables are tender.

5. 5

   Serve

   Plate with steamed rice. Serve shrimp paste alongside for each diner to add.

Variations

• •

  Use pork belly or beef shank instead of oxtail

• •

  Add eggplant and okra

• •

  Make with peanut butter only for a simpler version

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. The flavour deepens overnight. Reheat gently, adding a little water if the sauce thickens too much.

Frequently Asked Questions