Oxtail and Tripe Kare-Kare Recipe
The famous Filipino dish Kare-Kare was said to have originated from Pampanga dating back hundreds of years ago. It came from the word Kari, meaning thick sauce, similar to curry. Some stories say it was invented by the Moro people of Southern Mindanao. Others say it’s from the Tagalog region. But wherever the origins came from, it surely is a must-try when you visit the Philippines or to make at home for your family or when you have guests coming over. Due to its complex nature of preparation, this special dish makes your menu shine.
Out of these stories came multiple versions of Kare-Kare. There’s the traditional oxtail and tripe, or the pork legs and knuckles, seafood or the vegetarian. There are even versions that use a mixture of dishes like deep-fried pork belly or crispy pata topped on the vegetables cooked in the peanut or peanut butter sauce. In this recipe, we will talk about the traditional version.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 ½ hours
Serving: 10 people
Ingredients
3 lbs oxtail
2 lbs beef tripe
1 pc banana flower (if available)
2 bundles Chinese bok choy
1 bundle string beans cut into 2 ½ inch slices
5 pcs medium sized eggplants
1 cup peanut butter
⅔ cup shrimp paste
1 liter water
1 tbsp annatto powder dissolved in a cup of water
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 pc chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
Fish sauce (optional) – to substitute salt
Instructions
- Put the oxtail and tripe in a pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes
- When the meat is tender, remove the meat from the water. You may wash it if it has scum. You can save some of the boiled water but be sure to strain it.
- In a separate pan, saute the garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Don’t wait until it is brown or it will lose its flavor.
- Add the banana flower, eggplant and string beans into the pan. You may add the bok choy in the pan or blanch it to keep it crunchy. You can also put the veggies in the microwave for 3 minutes.
- Mix the meat and the vegetables in the pan. Add the peanut butter and the annatto mixture. Mix well while on low to medium fire.
- Season with salt and pepper. If you want more flavor, you can substitute part of the salt with fish sauce. Don’t replace it completely though.
- It is best served with rice and a side of shrimp paste.
There you go! It’s not as hard as it seems. The pressure cooking and washing part may be the most time consuming but it pays off when you have that first bite of the super tender meat. What’s your favorite version of Kare-Kare? Comment below.
