KARE-KARE
INGREDIENTS:
PROCEDURES:
1. Heat up the oil, then put in the achuete seeds for a couple minutes until the oil becomes deep red. Strain out the seeds.
2. Saute the garlic and onion using the achuete oil, then add the oxtail and beef tripe, salt, pepper, sugar, beef broth and the dissolved-peanut butter. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn the heat down, and put the vegetables(except the Bok Choy leaves) into the sauce. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done.
4. Add the dissolved rice flour into the sauce to thicken.
5. Add the Bok Choy leaves. Cook for another minute and it's ready to serve.
6. Serve with rice along with a side of Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang).
TIPS:
- 2 pounds Oxtail, cut in 1" thickness
- 1 pound beef tripe (tuwalya), pressure cooked, cut into 2" squares (optional)
- 1/2 pound string beans, sliced in 3" lengths
- 2 pcs. eggplants, sliced in 3" wedges
- 1 banana bud or heart(puso ng saging), sliced in strips(optional)
- 6 stalks Bok Choy(Pechay), leaves and stalk separated, cut in 2" lengths
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, dissolved in 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup toasted rice, powdered, dissolved in 1/2 cup beef broth
- 5 cups beef broth (total)
- 2 tablespoons achuete (annatto) seeds
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang)
PROCEDURES:
1. Heat up the oil, then put in the achuete seeds for a couple minutes until the oil becomes deep red. Strain out the seeds.
2. Saute the garlic and onion using the achuete oil, then add the oxtail and beef tripe, salt, pepper, sugar, beef broth and the dissolved-peanut butter. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn the heat down, and put the vegetables(except the Bok Choy leaves) into the sauce. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done.
4. Add the dissolved rice flour into the sauce to thicken.
5. Add the Bok Choy leaves. Cook for another minute and it's ready to serve.
6. Serve with rice along with a side of Sauteed Shrimp Paste(Bagoong Alamang).
TIPS:
- The achuete oil can stain tile counters so be careful not to spill or splatter any oil. Although bleach can remove the stain, you may want to test it first to make sure it will not affect the color of the tiles.
- If string beans and Bok Choy are unavailable, substitute green beans for the string beans and spinach for the Bok Choy. The difference is negligible and the flavor of the dish will not be affected.
- I like a hint of sweetness for my Kare-kare so I add a tablespoon of sugar. If you are using a sweet peanut butter, you can omit the sugar.
- To cut some of the preparation time, try looking for Powdered Annato (Achuete) and Toasted Rice Flours which are readily available in the Asian Markets. They come in small packages with their equivalent Vietnamese or Thai names on the labels.
- Is this recipe a little too much work for you? If so, you can simplify it by using the Stew Base Mix for Kare-Kare that you can buy at any Asian store. I suggest, though, to try making it from scratch at least once, and compare the difference in taste.
CALDERETA
TIPS:
- You can use the Spicy Sauce Mix (Caldereta Mix) found in Asian markets. All you will need are beef, broth, veggies and liver spread, and follow the cooking instruction from the package.
- Pre-cook the potatoes either by frying or by par-boiling in water to cut down the cooking time.
- You can omit the olives and green peas if you don't like them. But add a little green bell pepper for a nice green contrast for dish presentation.
- Chili pepper are traditional for this dish, put just a couple in the beginning and just add some more towards the end so as not to overdo it and make the dish too spicy.