Kare-Kare (Stewed Oxtail with Vegetable in Peanut Sauce)

Kare-kare or (Ox tail stew) Commonly beef boiled or oxtail cooked with peanut butter and vegetables. Garnish with shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) on the side.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Ox tail Or Tripe (optional)
• 1 Sm. Banana Heart (quartered)
•  1 bundle Pechay or Bokchoy
•  2 eggplant sliced thinly
•  1/4 cup or more peanut butter
•  1/4 cup Shrimp paste (bagoong alamang guisado)
•  1 mall onion diced
•  1/2 bundle string beans or green beans
•   4 tbsp. atswete (dissolved in water)
•  1/4 cup powdered toasted rice or dissolved cornstarch alternative
•  1/2 liter of water

Kare-Kare Cooking Instructions:

Boil water in a big pot and place in meat or ox tripe. Simmer over low heat until tender. Strain and keep the stock. Set aside the boiled oxtail/ ox tripe.

Blanch vegetables in batches into the pot of stock. Set aside.

In separate pan, heat cooking oil. Saute garlic and onion until fragrant. Add in oxtail or ox tripe and saute for a few minutes.

Pour in broth from boiled oxtail and bring to a boil. Add in peanut butter and stir until dissolved. Allow to boil.

Pour in atsuete juice, and stir well. Add in dissolved corn starch, salt to taste. Stir until desired thickness.

Soak in blanched vegetables for a few minutes or serve them separately. Turn off heat.
   
Serve with shrimp paste (bagoong alamang).