Best Kare-Kare (Filipino Beef Oxtail Stew in Savory Peanut Sauce)
INGREDIENTS
▢ 1 whole garlic peeled and sliced
▢ 3 shallots peeled and sliced
▢ 2.2 lbs beef oxtail or chuck roast cut into large chunks (use the latter if you prefer to use just plain beef meat)
▢ 1 pound tripe
▢ 2 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste (see recipe instructions for possible substitution)
▢ freshly ground black pepper to taste
▢ 2 pieces banana blossoms or flowers, use only the white part (if using)
▢ 7 pieces yard-long beans or Chinese long beans
▢ 2 Japanese eggplant sliced
▢ 1 bunch pechay or bok choy about 6 pieces or as needed, tough ends removed
▢ 1 cup peanut butter or more as needed (adjust according to taste)
▢ 2 tablespoons achiote or annatto seeds immersed in 1 cup boiling water to extract color, use just enough liquid to achieve mustard or deep yellow color for the sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the oxtail and beef chunks plus the tripe until they change color and the scum rises to the top for roughly 5 minutes. Remove the beef parts, rinse quickly in cold water then set aside to drain. This is done to remove impurities from the meat. (The photos show cuts of stewing beef and tripe only because oxtail was no longer available in the market when we made this; you have the option of cooking Kare Kare with or without the oxtail).
Heat oil on medium heat in a deep pan. Sauté the garlic and shallots until aromatic.
Add the meat and tripe. Stir then cover. Allow the meat to sweat or render its fat for about 5-10 minutes. Check the meat halfway through.
Pour enough boiling water to cover the meat.
Add the fish sauce and freshly ground pepper to season the beef and broth. You can also add 2 Knorr beef cubes or beef bouillon to the water for extra flavor (especially if you don’t use or don’t have fish sauce).
Cook until beef is tender about 1-1 1/2 hours. A pressure cooker may be used to shorten the time of tenderizing the beef.
In the meantime, extract the color from the anatto seeds by immersing them in boiling water. Stir. Strain the seeds and set aside the red-colored liquid.
Once meat is tender, add the banana flowers and the peanut butter. Stir to ensure the peanut butter melts into the sauce.
Add the rest of the vegetables.
Add the red liquid from the annatto seeds. Add just enough liquid to turn the sauce into a deep yellow or mustardy color.
Continue to cook just until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. Season lightly to taste, if desired. (Don’t make it too salty because it will be served with a salty condiment on the side).
Quickly blanch the bok choy in boiling water to allow it to wilt.
Transfer the stew to a serving bowl then add the blanched bok choy on top. Serve on the side with shrimp paste or bagoong alamang.
NOTES
Tip: If the sauce is not thick enough to your liking simply you may thicken it with a little cornstarch diluted with water.