Crispy kare kare recipe: visualised recipe

There is a wide range of flavorful Filipino main dishes that you can choose from when planning on what to serve at your next party. Dishes made from chicken, beef, fish, pork, or vegetables are always present in the menu of Filipino celebrations, but if you want to serve something special, you can always try the kare kare recipe.

Kare kare is a stew with meat, peanut sauce and an assortment of vegetables. It is always paired with bagoong or shrimp paste to give it that distinctive taste. It also gets its yellow or orange color from achuete or annatto and the thick sauce from the combination of peanut sauce and sticky or glutinous rice paste or flour. Due to the dish’s very involved cooking process, it is usually reserved for special occasions.

Crispy kare kare recipe

Traditionally, oxtail and tripe are used for this recipe. However, one can opt for crispy pork belly to be used as a meat ingredient.

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Kare kare ingredients

• 400 to 500 grams pork belly cut into slices
• Pepper
• Bayleaf
• 1 small bunch sitaw (yard-long beans) cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 large eggplant/aubergine (preferably the long Asian variety)
• Onion
• Bok choy (Chinese cabbage)
• 1 cup pork broth
• 1 kare kare mix (for sauce)
• Cooking oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. In a casserole, put 2 cups of water. Place the pork belly, bay leaf, and pepper and bring to boil for at least 15-20 minutes.

2. Drain the pork belly and rinse thoroughly to remove scum. Discard the water and pat dry the meat.

3. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan. Fry the pork belly slices until browned and crisp. Do this in batches, if necessary, so that the pork slices do not touch one another during frying to ensure even cooking and frying.

4. In a separate pan, fry some onion and put the fried pork belly in the pan.

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5. Throw in the sitaw and eggplant. Cook just until done, for about 5 minutes.

6. Pour the pork broth into the pan. Simmer for a while.

7. Pour the kare kare sauce into the pan. Stir until smooth and thickened.

8. Throw in the bok choy (Chinese cabbage) and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes.

9.. Serve while hot.

Simple beef kare kare recipe

If you are not a fan of the pork kare kare recipe, you can always opt to use the traditional recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds oxtail, cut into serving size
• water
• 1 banana heart
• 2 large eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch thick
• 1 bundle long beans (sitaw), cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 bundle pechay, ends trimmed and leaves separated
• ¼ cup of rice flour
• 1-1/2 tablespoons annatto powder
• 1-1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Shrimp paste

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Instructions

1. Rinse oxtail under cold, running water and with a knife, trim excess fat.
2. In a deep pot, place oxtails and enough water to cover.
3. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, skimming any scum that accumulates to top.
4. Lower heat, cover and simmer, adding more water as needed to maintain 6 cups, for about 2 to 3 hours or until oxtails are easily pierced with a fork.
5. Drain oxtail, reserving about 6 cups broth.
6. Peel and discard the outer, fibrous skin layers of banana heart until you reach the lighter, softer core. Trim off stem and discard.
7. Cut banana core into half and fourths. In a bowl of cold salted water, place cut banana and soak for about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Using hands, squeeze to release bitter sap. Rinse with cold water and drain well, discarding liquid.
9. In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 cups water to a boil. Add banana heart and blanch for about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove from liquid and set aside.
10. Add eggplant and blanch for about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove from liquid and set aside.
11. Add long beans and blanch for about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove from liquid and set aside.
12. Add pechay and blanch for about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove from liquid and set aside.
13. In a skillet over medium heat, add rice flour and cook, occasionally stirring, until lightly browned and toasted.
14. In a bowl, combine toasted rice flour and ¼ cup reserved broth and whisk until smooth.
15. In a small bowl, combine annatto powder and ¼ cup reserved broth. Stir until powder is dissolved and color has dispersed.
16. In a bowl, combine peanut butter and ½ cup of reserved broth and stir until well-blended.
17. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until limp and aromatic. Add oxtail and cook, occasionally stirring, until lightly browned.
18. Add fish sauce and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
19. Add the remaining 5 cups of reserved broth and bring to a simmer.
20. Add annatto water, rice flour mixture, and peanut butter mixture, stirring well to combine.
21. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
22. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes or until it begins to thicken slightly.
23. Add blanched vegetables and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through and tender yet crisp.
24. Serve hot with shrimp paste on the side.

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Chicken kare kare recipe

If you want to explore a little more with your kare-kare recipe, you can use chicken meat instead of the usual pork and beef.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 pounds chicken, cut into serving parts
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon annatto powder
• 3 cups of water
• 2 large eggplant, cut into chunks
• 1/2 bundle long beans, ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 bundle pechay, ends trimmed and leaves separated
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a wide pan over medium heat, add rice flour. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In a pot over medium heat, heat oil.
3. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
4. Add chicken and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned.
5. Add fish sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
6. In a bowl, combine water and annatto powder. Stir until well-dispersed and add to the pan.
7. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that may float on top. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender.
8. Add eggplant and long beans and cook until tender yet crisp.
9. Add peanut butter and stir until well blended.
10. In a bowl, combine rice flour and one cup of broth from the pot. Stir until very smooth and without lumps.
11. Slowly add to the pot, whisking to prevent lumps.
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
13. Continue to simmer until sauce is slightly thickened.
14. Add pechay and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until tender yet crisp.
15. Serve hot with sauteed shrimp paste on the side.

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Seafood kare kare recipe

As years passed by, Filipinos have discovered new and creative ways to cook the kare-kare dish. They have used different meats such as pork, beef, and chicken as ingredients to this Filipino dish, but so far, the most surprising meat alternative used is seafood. Are you curious about how to prepare seafood kare-kare? We listed the steps below.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of water
• 2 pieces mud crabs (alimango)
• 4 pieces prawns (sugpo)
• 8 pieces of green mussels (tahong)
• 1 piece cream dory fillet
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon atsuete seeds
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup peanut butter, sweet and creamy
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
• 1 bundle sitaw (string beans)
• 1 piece, sliced diagonally
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced diagonally
• 1 bundle pechay
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Shrimp paste (bagoong), to serve

Instructions

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1. In a large pot with a steamer insert over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Steam the seafood. Once cooked, cut the crabs in half.
4. Slice the cream dory into big cubes. Set aside. Reserve the steaming liquid.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot then saute the annato seeds for 2 minutes until the oil acquires a deep reddish-orange color.
6. Strain out seeds. Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add water or steaming liquid.
7. Stir in peanut butter, salt, and pepper to taste.
8. If using, mix cornstarch and water then add to the pot to thicken. Stir and cook until thickened.
9. Add the string beans, banana heart, and eggplants, and simmer until these are half cooked.
10. Add the steamed seafood except for cream dory.
11. Simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Add the cream dory and pechay. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve with bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side.

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Vegetable kare kare recipe

If you are a vegan and looking for ways to be able to eat the delicious dish without worrying about meat, veggie kare-kare is for you.

Ingredients

• 1-2 banana blossom bud, fresh (canned, which is ready to use, is an ok alternative)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and minced
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• few pinches sea salt
• 8 cups water
• 2 eggplants, cut into one-inch slices
• 2 cups vegetable broth or more to taste
• 4½ tablespoons achuete or annatto powder, mixed and fully dissolved in 2 cups water
• 1 cup peanuts, toasted and blended with ¾ cup water until smooth and creamy
• ½ cup white rice, toasted and ground to a powder, mixed in ¾ cup water
• 1 small bunch long beans, cut to 2-inch slices, ends removed
• 2 pieces dried snow fungus, soaked in warm water for 1-3 minutes, base removed, cut into big chunks
• 1 bundle baby bok choy, bottom stalk cut off, thoroughly washed
• 2 tablespoons black bean sauce mixed in 2 tablespoons nori seaweed flakes/powder

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Instructions

1. Peel outer layers of banana blossom until you reach the pale yellow, tender bud. Discard outer layers and yellow pistils.
2. Have a large bowl of salt or lemon water nearby.
3. Oil, your knife and cutting board, to prevent sap from sticking. Cut off stem and slice bud in half lengthwise.
4. Cut in chunks and immediately submerge the banana blossom in salt/lemon water. Dismantle layers and soak for at least 15 minutes.
5. Discard soaking water and do a final rinse.
6. In a large pot, saute garlic with oil until fragrant. Follow with onions.
7. Add few pinches of sea salt and saute until onions have turned soft and translucent.
8. Add banana blossom, eggplant, water, vegetable broth, and achuete mixture.
9. Mix and cover pot. Simmer until eggplant and banana blossom are tender.
10. Add peanut butter.
11. Simultaneously pour rice mixture while mixing pot with a spoon. Keep mixing until the sauce gets smooth and creamy.
12. Simmer for 10 minutes. If sauce gets too thick, add more water one cup at a time until consistency is creamy.
13. Adjust seasoning by adding more vegetable broth or peanut butter to taste.
14. Add long beans, snow fungus, and baby bok choy.
15. Put to a boil and turn off the heat.
16. Serve hot preferably with rice and black bean sauce on the side.

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There is always a kare kare recipe that fits all food lovers. Whether you are a fan of meat, seafood, or vegetables, one can still savor the tasteful kare-kare dish. Which kare-kare recipe is your favorite?

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Source: KAMI.com.gh