Ernesto Paras, Jr.'s KARE-KARE (Beef Oxtail Stew in Peanut Butter Sauce)
This is a very popular and authentic dish from the Philippines.
Ingredients (in stock pot)
4-5 lb. beef oxtail
½ lb. to 1 lb. beef tripe (optional)
6-7 cups of water
¼ cup toasted rice (optional)
2 cups of peanut butter
1 tbsp Annatto powder (mixed with 1 tbsp of oil) – for color (optional)
1 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp of salt
1 tsp of ground black pepper
Sautéed Shrimp Paste (optional)
Ingredients (in a wok or pan)
1 bundle of Bok Choy (bottom stems removed – quartered)
1 large egg plant (halved then sliced diagonally about1 in thick)
1 lb green beans (cut in about 2-3 in thick OR just cut both ends)
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of water
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground black pepper
- Parboil the beef ox tail for about 2 hours. Remove the scum along the way. Then drain and set aside. Using a pressure cooker will reduce boiling time.
- Rub the beef tripe (optional) with ginger or ginger powder. Then parboil the beef tripe with 2-3 inch crushed ginger for about 2 hours or until the tripe gets tender. Then drain and set aside. Using a pressure cooker will reduce boiling time.
- In a stock pot, put beef oxtail, beef tripe (optional), salt, pepper and onion. Simmer for about 30-45 mins or until meat gets really tender.
- While beef oxtail and beef tripe are getting simmered in the stock pot, prepare to saute the vegetables in a wok/pan.
- In a wok/pan, pour 3 tbsp of olive oil.
- Sautee the garlic for about 30 seconds.
- Sautee onion until it gets a little bit caramelized.
- Sautee green beans for about 3 minutes.
- Sautee egg plant for about 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water. So, the steam will help to cook the vegetables.
- Add 1 tsp of ground black pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Keep stirring.
- Add the bok choy on the top.
- Simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir them all together until bok choy gets really soft and all the vegetables are tender.
- Getting back to stock pot, add ¼ cup toasted rice (optional).
- Then, add the peanut butter. I suggest for you to use the creamy type not the crunchy one. Keep stirring until the soup gets a little creamy.
- Add the Annatto powder mixed in oil. This is optional. Keep stirring.
- Serve it hot with rice and sautéed shrimp paste (optional).
*** Don't forget to wash well all the vegetables.
