Kare-Kare
(kah-reh kah-reh)
Weekend Kamayan (Sunday Feasts for the Pamilya)
True Kare-Kare isn't the cloyingly sweet, gloopy peanut butter dessert you find in sanitized modern restaurants. It is a profoundly savory, deeply comforting stew built on the unapologetic collagen of slow-cooked oxtail and the ancient alchemy of toasted rice flour. Utilizing an electric pressure cooker doesn't cheapen the tradition; it democratizes it, turning a full-day, firewood-simmered chore into an achievable Sunday triumph for the diaspora. The magic lies in the unapologetic marriage of rich beef, earthy peanuts, and the salty, funky punch of fermented shrimp paste that cuts through the richness and brings you straight home.
Before you start
Prepare an ice bath before blanching the vegetables.
Having a large bowl of ice water ready ensures the vegetables stop cooking immediately, maintaining their crucial crunch in the rich stew.
Ingredients
- oxtail3 lb
- yellow onion1 large
- garlic clove4 med
- whole black peppercorns1 tbsp
- fish sauce2 tbsp
- water6 cup
- sweet rice flour1/4 cup
- annatto powder2 tbsp
- natural unsweetened creamy peanut butter3/4 cup
- roasted peanuts1/4 cup
- cooking oil1 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic clove5 med
- canned banana heart14 oz
- Asian eggplant2 med
- yardlong beans1 med bunch
- baby bok choy3 med head
- cooked jasmine rice4 cup
- sautéed shrimp paste1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Combine the oxtails, quartered onion, smashed garlic, peppercorns, fish sauce, and water in an electric pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then manually release any remaining steam and transfer the meat to a platter.
- 02
Strain the remaining beef broth into a large bowl and skim the heavy layer of rendered fat from the surface.
Let the broth sit for 10 minutes so the fat fully separates, skim it away, and reserve exactly four cups of the liquid gold.
- 03
Toast the sweet rice flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until lightly golden and nutty.
Stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes to prevent burning, then transfer to a small bowl and whisk in a half cup of the warm reserved broth to create a smooth slurry.
- 04
Blanch the yardlong beans, eggplant, banana heart, and bok choy individually in a pot of salted boiling water.
Cook the green vegetables for 30 seconds to two minutes, then immediately plunge them into an ice bath to lock in their vibrant colors and crisp textures.
- 05
Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in oil over medium heat until fragrant, then pour in the remaining three and a half cups of defatted broth.
Whisk the annatto powder into the liquid until the broth turns a fiery, beautiful orange.
- 06
Lower the heat to medium-low and whisk the natural peanut butter and toasted rice slurry into the broth.
Simmer gently for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon, then stir in the crushed roasted peanuts.
- 07
Nestle the tender oxtails back into the golden peanut sauce to absorb the flavors and heat through.
Arrange the blanched vegetables beautifully on top of the stew and serve steaming hot with jasmine rice and a mandatory side of sautéed shrimp paste.
Notes
Shrimp paste is not an optional garnish.
The stew is intentionally under-seasoned to serve as a canvas for the salty, funky punch of bagoong. Mix a tiny dab into every single bite of rice and meat.
Standard green beans can perfectly substitute for yardlong beans.
If you can't make it to an Asian market for sitaw or banana heart, use standard green beans and skip the blossom; the fundamental soul of the dish lies in the broth.
From Cook Filipino in America.