Kare-Kare (Oxtail and Vegetables in Peanut Sauce)
Kare-kare is a Philippine stew derived from curry with a savory peanut sauce.
1 pack (1.5–2 lb) oxtail
6 cups water
½ cup annatto seeds for coloring
3 eggplants
1 lb string beans
1 banana blossom
1 head garlic, chopped
1 onion, sliced
¼ cup cooking oil
1 cup ground peanuts
1 cup toasted ground rice
Boil the oxtail in water until tender.
Soak annatto seeds in ½ cup water, set aside. Rub the seeds if necessary to bring out color.
Cut string beans in 3-inch lengths.
Cut eggplants diagonally, ½-inch thick.
Cut banana blossoms diagonally, ½-inch thick.
Parboil string beans, eggplants and banana blossoms, then set aside.
Sauté garlic and onions in cooking oil.
Take out the annatto seeds, add the water, and boil for 5 minutes.
5 minutes
Stir in ground peanuts and ground rice.
Bring to a boil, then add the oxtail and vegetables.
Add more water if needed to have enough sauce; it should be thick and not watery. Add fish sauce to taste.
Serve with steamed rice and shrimp paste (bagoong) on the side.