Kare-kare is a rich peanut-butter based stew that is for me is the feel good equivalent of cozying up with my favorite blanket.
Cultural Appreciation
My mother was born in the Philippines. Her father, my grandfather, joined the U.S. Navy while in the Philippines. I didn’t fully appreciate that fact growing up, but in 1947, the United States concluded an agreement with the Republic of the Philippines which specified that the U.S. was permitted to recruit citizens of the Philippines for voluntary enlistment into the U.S. Armed Forces. Under the Nationality Act of 1940, those who served honorably in the armed forces for three years or more could be naturalized as US citizens.
My mother and her family moved to Hawaii when she was eight. When my mother was in high school, her family moved to California and eventually they were all naturalized citizens. After my mother graduated high school, she became a real estate agent. My mother met my father when they were both working in real estate office. He is caucasian which was a big deal at the time because my mother was the oldest daughter and the first one in her family to marry someone who was not Filipino. When I reminisce about how their lives intersected and were at that time, it makes me very grateful to be half-white, half-filipino (or ‘hapa’ as my mom would call me). Growing up, it certainly came with extra questions about my identity, not always feeling enough for either side, not always having a specific place to belong. But as an adult, I appreciate these two sides that have made me the whole multi-racial woman I am today.
My father’s family was large, but spread out all over the country. So growing up, I was closest to my Filipino side who all lived within a 15 mile radius. My Grandparents, aunties, uncles, and cousins were with us all the time. My aunties were really my second mamas and my cousins were more like brothers and sisters. As close as I am to them, there’s always been a part of me who wants to understand more. I wasn’t taught tagalog, or taken to the the Philippines, and so for me, food has always been that gateway. My grandparents owned a Filipino restaurant when I was very young. They assimilated into the U.S. but also found a way to share their culture. Having enjoyed so many traditional dishes early on, I felt a strong connection to the food at an early age.
Now with children of my own, my heritage has become so much more important. It took me awhile to connect that even though my father is white, I am first generation born in the US for my mother. I take pause to feel and think about what that must mean for my my mother and my grandmother. As is for many in the Asian-America Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and so many other immigrants that have assimilated into America, passing along culture & tradition is very important. My children are one-fourth Filipino and so to honor my roots, I carry on the food that I grew up loving. I’m also making an effort to understand more of the history behind the food.
What is Kare Kare and where did it come from?
Growing up filipino meant that every holiday, event, and afternoon involved a buffet. There are the dishes that are always on the menu…pancit, adobo, lumpia. And then there is Kare Kare. Kare-Kare is a dish that we always looked forward to at Thanksgiving and Christmastime. I can so vividly picture us all around the slow cooker saying ‘oooh, did Aunty Annie bring the Kare Kare?’ It is her specialty.
So what is it? Traditional Kare-Kare as I know it is an oxtail stew where the meat is simmered in a peanut-based sauce. There’s no official record of its origin, but there are three theories.
One story from Pampanga (a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines) is that Kare-Kare originated there, since their reputation is for cooking until their hearts’ content and coming up with deliciously rich fare. There was a dish known as ‘kari’ and was more similar to a fish curry with ingredients of ginger, turmeric, lemon grass, key lime peel and safflower. Peanuts, which are thought to have originated in South America and shared by Portuguese explorers at the time, were then introduced to the flavor profile. There was great pride in their kari, allegedly setting up huts (a.k.a. karinderiya, the Tagalog word for small market or cafe) to serve the delicacy. The story goes that as more ventured to Manila, the huts followed. Tagalog folk from across the Pasig River wanted to establish their own kari businesse, but struggled to replicate the dish. The delicate yellow of safflower was replaced with the color from achiote seeds, while the other spices were left out, making it different from the kari originally recognized. Those from Pampanga nick-named it kari-kari, meaning, it’s like kari but an imitation.
The second story is from Sepoys, Indian soldiers under Queen Victoria’s service who settled in the Philippines during the British occupation of Manila in the 1760’s. When the British eventually departed, many of the Indians decided to stay behind. They attempted to recreate their kari, but once they ran out of their own spices, they had to make substitutions. They relied on toasted peanut and rice for thickness and achiote (annatto powder) for color. They also added bagoong (a fermented shrimp paste). Their new kari was said to have been sold along the Pasig river, mostly to Tagalog travelers.
The third story is that Kare-Kare was a regal dish of the Moro elite. The Moros history dates back to 13th-14th century Arab traders who settled and established their religion and kingdoms in the Philippines, 200 years before Spanish rule.
My recipe
I grew up eating Kare-Kare with oxtail which is thought to have been included known at least dating back to the early 1900’s. While I love oxtail, I switched it up in my recipe with short-ribs, which also become super tender when cooked low & slow. Traditionally, the sauce flavor and thickness is accomplished ground toasted rice and ground toasted peanuts. My Aunty always used peanut butter so I’ve done that here. Just make sure to use a natural peanut butter version.
Gosh, how gorgeous is this color?!
After the meat is all kinds of tender, vegetables are added, usually eggplant, banana blossoms and leafy vegetables like bok choy. I like to saute the bok choy and throw in at the end so that it doesn’t get too soft. The banana blossom has a neutral flavor so can absorb the broth (it’s often used now as vegan substitutes for fish). I replaced the banana blossoms with butternut quash The butternut squash is not traditional, but it also absorbs the broth and I love the sweetness with the earthy peppery flavor of the annato powder.
When it’s all said and done, the stew is served alongside steamed white rice and a side of roasted bagaoong, a shrimp paste with a salty bite that a perfect balance for the richness.
Hope you enjoy friends! And thanks as always for reading!
Valerie
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for searing the short rib)
- 4 lbs short-rib
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
- 1 lb. green beans, rinsed and trimmed
- 3 baby bok choy bunches, rinsed and thick ends trimmed off
- 1 chinese eggplant, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 6 cups of beef broth
- For the sauce:
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons annatto powder (or you can substitute 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon turmeric)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- freshly ground salt/pepper
- Steamed rice
- Bagaoong (optional)
- Season the short-ribs with freshly ground salt & pepper.
- Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and bring to medium-high heat.
- Sear the short-ribs for about 3 minutes on each side. After the short ribs are seared, set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and the onion. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the short-ribs and onion to a slow cooker with the setting on high. Add the smashed garlic cloves and 4 cups of beef broth. Slow cook for 4 hours until the meat is super tender.
- When the meat is complete, remove from the slow cooker and set aside.
- Take the broth & juices from the slow cooker and pour into a large pot. Add more beef broth to make 4 cups of total liquid.
- In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, annato powder, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Add the peanut sauce mixture to the large pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the vegetables to the pot. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the meat back to the pot and cook for another 20 minutes.
- While the meat is heating through and the vegetables are simmering, saute the bok choy in a pan on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until slightly charred but still bright green.
- Serve with steamed rice and bagaoong.
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