Kare-kare is a uniquely filipino food made with oxtail stewed in peanut sauce. The sauce is not flavored with seasonings or any other spices and is thickened with pounded toasted rice and peanuts. It is served with bagoong on the side.
Kare-kare has a wide and varied history. The word kare-kare can be traced back to the early 19th century when Filipinos called this dish kari-kari or cari-cari. The word kari or cari is tagalog for curry.
Other varieties are seafood kare kare and vegetable kare kare.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup peanut oil
- 3 pounds oxtails
- 2 pounds beef tripe
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1-1/4 cups beef stock homemade or use canned
- 1-1/4 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons annatto oil
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter mixed with 1/2 cup hot tap water
- Several shots of Tabasco, or more to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan and add 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Brown the oxtails well on both sides in 2 or 3 batches. Place them in a 6-quart heavy stove-top covered casserole.
- While the oxtails are browning, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and blanch the tripe. Simply boil it for a few minutes, drain, and cool. Cut the tripe into strips 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. Add these to the oxtail pot.
- Add the remaining peanut oil to the frying pan and saute the onion and garlic. Add to the oxtail pot along with the tomato, beef stock, water, salt, and annatto oil. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Simmer partially covered for another 1-1/2 hours, stirring now and then. At the beginning of the last hour of cooking, add the peanut butter mixture and the Tabasco. Taste and add more Tabasco and salt if needed. If all is not very tender, continue to cook a bit longer.
- Serve with rice.
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings