Here’s a quick recipe for Kare Kare, a classic Filipino stew best prepared with patience and care, especially for special occasions. This dish features tender meats and a rich sauce that you’ll want to savor.
Oxtail
Roast your oxtail (or beef shanks) in the oven until you get a seared outside. I recommend cooking at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes to enhance the flavor of your stock. In your favorite pressure cooker (mine is the InstaPot), add the oxtail and cover it with liquid. Set it to high pressure/meat and cook for 50 minutes, then turn it off and let the pressure release naturally. Remove the meat and set it aside, straining the fat.
Vegetables
Cut a bunch of green beans, bok choy, and eggplant. Blanche the green beans and bok choy for about 2 minutes and place them in a water bath to keep their color. The eggplant takes a few minutes to cook, so add that last. You can also include banana heart for added texture and flavor.
Sauce
There are variations out there, but here’s what I did. Toast about 1 cup of ground rice until brown, then pulverize it to a coarse grit using a blender or coffee grinder.
In a pan, sauté 1/2 cup diced onions and 2 teaspoons of garlic in some oil (or beef fat you saved). Add about 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of annatto powder (or seeds), and 4 cups of oxtail stock. Bring it to a boil and mix in 1/2 cup of the ground toasted rice to thicken the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of fermented shrimp for added depth.
Assembly
Add the oxtail back to the sauce and heat it all together, ensuring the meat is tender. Place the veggies on another plate and serve hot, often accompanied by long beans. This dish is sure to impress your guests with its rich flavors and hearty ingredients! Enjoy your Kare Kare!
