immediate kare-kare (Filipino oxtail and peanut stew)
I can not consider a single Filipino who would not like kare-kare. This conventional peanut-based stew is a nationwide favourite and now with the Instant Pot, this dish may be on the desk in half the time.
it might confuse (or upset) some having learn my earlier put up describing my household’s plant-based journey solely to be adopted by a recipe for oxtail stew. I discussed that we’re part-time vegetarians, ensuring our meals are meat-free for at the very least half the week, however nonetheless consuming hen and fish as a part of our common food plan. beef and pork are occasional treats and can proceed to look on the weblog, particularly since I have been choosing my mom’s mind with each cellphone dialog in an try and protect on this weblog a few of my favourite Filipino recipes from my childhood. kare-kare is considered one of these recipes.
what’s kare-kare?
kare-kare (kuh-reh-kuh-reh) is a stew made with crushed peanuts and floor roasted rice, historically ready with oxtail and/or tripe. it is a favourite of most, if not all, Filipinos and except for how tasty it’s, its different notable function is that with the lengthy cooking time required to melt the meat (and tripe), it is a labor of affection. . for that reason, kare-kare is a weekend dish or that’s served at conferences.
I could not discover something definitive about kare-kare’s origins as uniquely Filipino roots and its similarity to maafe, a West African peanut-based stew, is difficult to disregard.
kare-kare: a quick historical past
The Philippines and West Africa have a typical denominator: Spanish colonial rule. Early explorations led the Spanish to South America, the place the peanut is believed to have originated (particularly, Brazil and Peru). The primary Spaniards to set foot in West Africa date from the 14th and fifteenth centuries, though colonization didn’t happen till the late 18th and early twentieth centuries. Within the Philippines, 300 years of colonial rule started within the late sixteenth century. it is exhausting to say which got here first, kare-kare or maafe and whether or not West Africans tailored kare-kare to turn out to be maafe or vice versa, however the Spanish launched peanuts to each locations and the 2 dishes should be associated.
As with most Filipino dishes with Spanish roots, Filipinos have made kare-kare their very own. As an alternative of conventional okra, cabbage and tomatoes with maafe, inexperienced beans, banana blossoms and eggplant are the greens used to finish the kare-kare. the achiote seeds of the achiote plant are used so as to add wealthy coloration to the dish, and since peanuts add richness however not a lot umami, salty shrimp paste is a crucial element.
As I discussed earlier, kare-kare is a labor of affection. Oxtail and tripe can take at the very least two hours to turn out to be tender sufficient to serve, and the Instant Pot makes what takes two to 3 hours to arrange on the stovetop doable in about an hour.
I discussed in a earlier put up that one of many challenges I used to be trying to overcome this yr was my worry of utilizing a stress cooker. I am joyful to say that after three cooking tasks with my Instant Pot, I am nonetheless right here to inform my kare-kare story. however I had doubts in regards to the high quality of the dishes cooked in it. Easy bean and vegetable soups are a no brainer, however are you able to get that slow-cooked taste out of a stress cooker?
the jury continues to be out on just a few dishes I take into account, however for kare-kare, the place a lot of the cooking time is to tenderize the meat (and solely a small fraction of the time is to include the remainder of the elements), elements later) Instant Pot was made for kare-kare.
my kare-kare
skimming the fats: I cut up the cooking course of into two days, though that is elective. Oxtail is a fatty lower of meat and I needed to trim most of this fats off earlier than ending the dish. I pressure-cooked the oxtail and refrigerated it in a single day, permitting me to skim a cup of fats the following day. I left two to 3 tablespoons within the broth to assist protect the flavour and offset the creaminess of the peanuts that will be added later. this step is totally elective however it relieved me of the guilt of having fun with this dish two days in a row.
Greens: For the greens I used widespread substitutions within the absence of banana blossoms and inexperienced beans (Chinese language lengthy beans). bok choy and common inexperienced beans work simply as nicely right here. the eggplants are a should.
Crushed peanuts: Peanut butter is far more handy to make use of than crushing the peanuts with a pestle and mortar. I choose to make use of pure peanut butter as a substitute of jif and skippy to keep away from the components, however it would not be a deal breaker if these are your peanut butter go-tos.
Roasted and floor rice: Though I used raw toasted and floor rice for my recipe, this step is elective. my mom would not even hassle with this step and I take into account her the authority on Filipino meals. the rice serves as a thickener for the stew, however the peanut butter additionally thickens the stew. be at liberty to skip this step.
This dish has been a very long time coming. In my household of two, it hasn’t all the time been sensible to share a few of my favourite Filipino dishes, as they’re usually cooked in family-sized parts. however as I put together to greet the ninth anniversary of this weblog in just a few days, I’m extra dedicated than ever to sharing (and hopefully educating) my readers about conventional Filipino delicacies. with all of the regional specialties and being acquainted solely with meals from my childhood, I additionally be taught as I am going. this kare-kare is only one step ahead on this journey.
