Kare-Kare

About This Recipe

Kare-kare is one of the Philippines' most festive and labor-intensive dishes, typically reserved for special occasions, fiestas, and family celebrations. The combination of slow-braised oxtail (or tripe, or both) in a thick peanut sauce seems simple but requires careful balance — too thin and it's watery, too thick and it's pasty. The annatto seeds give the sauce its characteristic golden-orange color. The most distinctive element of kare-kare service is the obligatory bagoong — fermented shrimp paste — served on the side, which provides the salty, pungent contrast that makes the rich, mild peanut stew sing.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgoxtail(or beef shank, cut into sections)
• 200 gnatural peanut butter
• 2 tbspannatto seeds (atsuete)(soaked in 100ml warm water)
• 100 gtoasted rice powder(or 3 tbsp rice flour)
• 1 largebanana blossom (puso ng saging)(or 2 eggplants, cut into wedges)
• 200 gstring beans(cut into 5cm pieces)
• 1 bundlepechay (bok choy)
• 1 largeonion(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 tbspbagoong (fermented shrimp paste)(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the oxtail

   Simmer oxtail in salted water for 2–2.5 hours until very tender. Reserve 1.5 litres of broth.

2. 2

   Build the sauce

   Fry onion and garlic. Add strained annatto water (discard seeds). Add peanut butter and 1 litre of oxtail broth. Whisk until smooth.

3. 3

   Thicken

   Add toasted rice powder and simmer 10 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

4. 4

   Add oxtail and vegetables

   Add oxtail pieces, banana blossom, and string beans. Simmer 10 minutes. Add bok choy and cook 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve with steamed rice and bagoong on the side for each person to add to taste.

Variations

• •

  Use tripe instead of oxtail for a more traditional version

• •

  Add pork shank alongside the oxtail

• •

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

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water as the sauce thickens.

Frequently Asked Questions