Kare Kare (Beef with Peanut Sauce)

Kare kare is an authentic Filipino stew made from peanut sauce, vegetables, beef  and sometimes with oxtail or tripe. It is eaten together with shrimp paste. Kare kare is not kare kare without the bagoong or shrimp paste. And any  Filipino occasion is not complete without this sumptuous dish on the table. Now a days cooking kare kare kare is  never a problem anymore, just buy a packet of  kare kare mix, add a little bit of peanut butter and a bottle of cooked shrimp paste and there goes your  yummy meal serve with rice, delicious dessert and a cold drink.

Kare Kare

Ingredients:

• 1- 1 1/2 kilos ox tail cut into 2 inches long or beef brisket
• 6 cups water
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 3 head garlic crushed
• 1 big onion chopped
• 1/2 cup annatto seeds for coloring
• 1/4 annatto seeds 
• 4 eggplants cut in 2-inch length and sliced to 4
• 1 banana heart sliced crosswise
• 1 bundle string beans/sitar cut in 2 inches length
• 1 bundle bok choy/pechay 
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup toasted rice 
• salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Clean the oxtail or beef brisket. Boil once and discard water. Boil again with 6 cups water until tender. Add more water if needed.

2. Heat 1/4 cup oil, put in annatto seeds until it brings out color. Remove from fire, strain and discard the seeds. Set aside.

3. Grind the peanuts and the toasted rice. Set aside.

4. Sauté garlic and onions in the annatto oil. Pour into the cooked meat. Stir well.

5. Add the peanut butter, ground toasted rice and peanuts and mix thoroughly. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add more toasted rice powder till you reach desired consistency. Add the vegetables except the bok choy. Cook until done. Add in the bok choy before turning off the fire. 

6. Serve with Bagoong Guisado.

Bagoong Guisado

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 head garlic minced
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1/4 kilo pork with fat, diced
• 1 1/2 cup shrimp paste
• 3 tbsp sugar 
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• chili/jalapeno pepper (optional)

Procedure:

1.     Heat pan and cook the pork until the oil comes out.

2.     Add garlic, onion, and tomato. Sauté until the juice comes out from the tomato.

3.     Put the  shrimp paste and  sugar. Mix well

4.     Add in vinegar. Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium fire, stirring  once in a while.

5.     Transfer to a serving bowl and serve together with the Kare kare.

Note:

This is my mom's recipe and looks complicated and difficult to do. No short cut, all are made from scratch. For easier and modern kare kare recipe, use Kare kare mix and store-bought cooked Bagoong guisado. Not as good as the old recipe though but at least you have the taste of kare kare.

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