Kare Kare Filipino Curry
By Simbooker on November 27th 2014
Files & Tags: recipes, index, soups and stews, asian, beef, curries
I think I am spot on when I describe this absolutely delicious icon of Filipino cuisine, as a curry. It's a mild but tasty curried stew. Filipino cuisine is one of the most unrepresented and unknown. But it's delicious. Kare Kare is flavoured with peanut butter, or roasted peanuts, and also achiote/annatto.
Many people now know about Asian cuisines such as Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and of course-Japanese and Chinese cuisine has been popular for decades. But Filipino food remains much of a mystery to outsiders. I would say it's a cross between Chinese and Spanish cuisine, by way of Latin America. Yet it maintains its own unique flair.
I have been cooking Filipino inspired dishes for quite some time, without knowing it. I like to Adobo Pork for example. And I use the combination of soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar regularly. I have been wanting to cook Kare Kare for a long time. Kare Kare is usually made with oxtail, sometimes exclusively as I have done here. I am not usually a fan of peanut butter, but this ingredient really works with this recipe.
THE RECIPE
1. Add approximately ten cups of water to a large pot. Add 1 whole peeled yellow onion, 1 whole garlic cut down the centre, 3 Bay Leaves, 1 Beef Stock Cube, and then add 1 or 2 pounds of oxtail. Add 1 tsp of salt, and two tsp of light soy sauce. Stir, turn on high heat. and bring to a boil for ten minutes.
2. Turn the stove on a low boil...halfway between low and high heat and boil for at least 2 hours or until the Oxtails are tender.
3. Once the Oxtails are tender. Strain the broth through a colander and reserve the liquid/broth. This is very important, we are going to finish cooking this stew with this liquid.
2. Turn the stove on a low boil...halfway between low and high heat and boil for at least 2 hours or until the Oxtails are tender.
3. Once the Oxtails are tender. Strain the broth through a colander and reserve the liquid/broth. This is very important, we are going to finish cooking this stew with this liquid.
You will need...1 + 1/2 tbs or more of Peanut Butter, 3 tbs or more of Annatto, 1 whole garlic head pealed and diced, half a yellow onion peeled and diced. 2-5 tbs of vegetable oil. 3 tablespoon of light Soy Sauce.
Bagoong- Filipino Shrimp Paste-This may be hard to find, depending on where in the world you live. You can substitute Thai Shrimp Paste. Many would say don't bother with this dish without bagoong, I don't agree.
A handful of Chinese Long Beans, or string beans. Half an Aubergine, cut into small chunks. Salt and Pepper to taste. Bok Choy -Optional.
Turn stove to medium to high heat and heat up the oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic, turn to medium heat and saute for a minute or two. Then add the Oxtail, sprinkle salt and soy sauce over it. And stir all together with the onions and garlic for a few minutes.
Pour in the reserved liquid from the oxtail broth, and turn heat to high again, and bring to a boil for ten minutes. Then turn to medium heat again and add the achiote oil or powder/paste, peanut butter, a tsp of shrimp paste and stir in. Add the green beans, and the chopped aubergine and simmer on medium heat for another ten minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.
Once the stew has thickened remove from heat. Serve as desired.
Bagoong- Filipino Shrimp Paste-This may be hard to find, depending on where in the world you live. You can substitute Thai Shrimp Paste. Many would say don't bother with this dish without bagoong, I don't agree.
A handful of Chinese Long Beans, or string beans. Half an Aubergine, cut into small chunks. Salt and Pepper to taste. Bok Choy -Optional.
Turn stove to medium to high heat and heat up the oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic, turn to medium heat and saute for a minute or two. Then add the Oxtail, sprinkle salt and soy sauce over it. And stir all together with the onions and garlic for a few minutes.
Pour in the reserved liquid from the oxtail broth, and turn heat to high again, and bring to a boil for ten minutes. Then turn to medium heat again and add the achiote oil or powder/paste, peanut butter, a tsp of shrimp paste and stir in. Add the green beans, and the chopped aubergine and simmer on medium heat for another ten minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.
Once the stew has thickened remove from heat. Serve as desired.