kare-kare

pronounced: kah-reh, kah-reh.

the spread: best served over rice and shrimp paste sautéed in lemon and garlic.

i don't know of any other filipino dish as divisive as kare kare - when people love it, they are falling over for it and when people hate it, they immediately gag at the thought of peanut butter and beef.  it really is a foodie's filipino dish.  combining the robust flavor profiles of beef and peanuts are for a unique, and dare i say, sophisticated pallette.  it also gets a reputation for being laborious and often times is only prepared for special occasions.  i'm guessing it's because peanut butter was once a luxury item in the Philippines.  the part of this dish that requires the most patience will be tenderizing the meat.  traditionally, ox tail is cooked in the pressure cooker. but on a lazy day, i've even used chicken, pork, and different cuts of stewing meat such as shank or short rib.

the added step of steaming vegetables separately will add color and depth to this dish. when stewed or served altogether, the veggies can get lost in the dish.  i'm a big fan of veggies and really prefer to highlight them in this dish, right alongside the unique peanut-butter-based broth.

RECIPE

1 lb of tenderized meat of choice

2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 onion

6 cups beef stock or the water reserved from tenderizing

1-1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 packet of achote powder

baby bok choy

Sliced eggplant

green beans 

1. Sautée garlic and onions

2. Add meat and broth. If you didn't use a pressure cocker-cooked beef, you can Sautée the meat before adding water or broth. cover over high heat.

3. Once boiling, add the peanut butter and mix until dissolved.

4. Reduce the heat and add achote.

5. Toss in your veggies and summer over medium hear until they are cooked.

6. If industrious like me, place some veggies in a steamer and serve on top of the prepared soup when ready to serve.