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Kare-Kare
Serves 6 Prep 20 min Cook 3 hr 30 min Total 3 hr 50 min Type Meal Origin Filipino

Kare-Kare

Filipino oxtail and peanut stew: oxtail and tripe braised in a thick golden peanut sauce with green beans, aubergine and bok choy, served with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste) on the side. Rich, deep, the celebration centerpiece.

Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Cook 3 ½ hours Units Rate

Overview

Oxtail simmers slow with aromatics until the meat is falling-tender. The cooking liquid thickens with toasted ground rice and peanut butter, gets coloured with annatto, and becomes a deep golden sauce. Vegetables join briefly at the end so they keep their texture. Bagoong on the side is non-negotiable.

Ingredients

Oxtail

  • 1 ½ kg oxtail (cut into 5 cm pieces; ask the butcher)
  • 2 onions (halved)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger (sliced)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 litres water
  • Salt

Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons annatto seeds
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 6 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 200 g unsweetened peanut butter (or 250 g toasted peanuts ground to butter)
  • 4 tablespoons toasted ground rice (rice flour toasted in a dry pan until golden)
  • 600 ml of the oxtail cooking liquid

Vegetables

  • 200 g green beans (trimmed, cut into 5 cm)
  • 1 aubergine (small, sliced)
  • 1 bunch pak choi (or bok choy), separated into leaves
  • 4 spring onions (sliced)

To serve

  • Cooked white rice
  • Bagoong (Filipino fermented shrimp paste, find at any Filipino or Asian shop)

Method

Stage 1 - Cook the oxtail

  1. Place the oxtail, onions, garlic, ginger, bay and peppercorns in a large pot.
  2. Cover with water; bring to the boil; skim the scum.
  3. Cover and simmer gently for 2 ½-3 hours until the meat is falling-tender. Salt to taste.
  4. Lift the oxtail out; strain and reserve 600 ml of the cooking liquid.

Stage 2 - Annatto oil

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over low heat.
  2. Add the annatto seeds; warm gently for 3-4 minutes until the oil is deep orange.
  3. Strain; discard the seeds.

Stage 3 - Sauce

  1. Heat the annatto oil in a wide pan; cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the peanut butter and ground toasted rice.
  3. Pour in the reserved oxtail liquid gradually, whisking, until smooth and thickened to a gravy.
  4. Simmer 10 minutes; the sauce should be glossy and substantial.

Stage 4 - Combine and finish

  1. Return the oxtail to the sauce; simmer 10 minutes.
  2. Add the green beans and aubergine; cook 5 minutes.
  3. Add the pak choi; cook another 1-2 minutes until just wilted.
  4. Scatter spring onions.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Plate over rice.
  2. Place a small bowl of bagoong on the side; diners spoon a little onto each bite (very salty; small amounts).

Notes

  • Toasted ground rice thickens AND flavours: Toast rice flour in a dry pan over medium heat until deep gold, then use; raw rice flour gives a flat sauce.
  • Annatto for colour: Achuete seeds give kare-kare its signature golden-orange. Paprika is a colour-only substitute; paprika oil gives flavour drift.
  • Bagoong is the salt: The peanut sauce is intentionally underseasoned; you season at the table with bagoong on each bite.

Storage

  • Improves overnight. Keeps 4 days refrigerated.
  • Freezes 3 months.

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