Kare-kare Take 2

I first attempted to make a kare-kare dish in January when I was itching to make something special for Elmer and my daughters on a day off work. I decided to cook kare-kare for them. According to articles I read online, because kare-kare traditionally uses beef which really takes a long time to cook, Filipino families prepare this dish mostly on special occasions like fiesta, family gathering, birthday party only and even served on Christmas lunch or dinner. I thought it was a special dish so pasok sa banga ang dish na 'to!

Yesterday, Elmer and I noticed that we didn't have a decent food this past week. Most of what we've eaten were fried. Hotdogs, fish, ham, eggs. He requested that I cook today. It's my rest day anyway. They must love my kare-kare at my first attempt because that's what they requested me to cook for today's lunch.

I believe that it does not necessarily have to use beef, and every Filipino family has its own version of this dish. Here's my version. 

What I used:

500 g meat*

1 bundle pechay

1 bundle string beans

2 pieces eggplant

50 grams peanuts, ground

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup toasted rice, ground

Annatto seeds soaked in 1/2 cup water

About 1/2 liter water

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper

Shrimp paste

The ingredients

* You may use any kind or part of meat of your choice. I chose pork. It's a few pesos cheaper and faster to tenderize. 

I thought kare-kare was a complicated dish. I was wrong. It's easy to make. Here's how. 

1. In a pot, bring water to boil.

2. Add the meat to the boiling water, followed by the onion. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until meat is tender. 

3. When meat becomes tender, add the ground peanut, peanut butter and the water from the annatto seeds mixture. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes.

4. Add the toasted ground rice and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until you have your desired consistency of the sauce.

5. On a separate pan, saute the garlic then add the eggplant, string beans and pechay. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add the sauteed vegetables to the pot.

7. Serve with shrimp paste.

A sliced banana flower bud may also be added but I never had any experience, kitchen-wise, with banana flower buds in the past so I skipped that ingredient.

What I love about this dish is that I may only use 250 grams of meat and add more vegetables instead. And even if the dish may fail, I can always redeem it with a good tasting, sweet and spicy, shrimp paste. I think however flavorful the dish may turn out if the shrimp paste only tastes so-so, it will never be a standout.

They still loved it this time. And I love it that they did.

Ciao!