KARE KARE a very delicious dish....

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables, stewed oxtail, beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi lime juice. Traditionally, any Filipino fiesta (particularly in the Tagalog region) is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat.

Where is KARE KARE originated?

As with many things in the Philippines, there are several stories as to the origins of this rather unusual yet distinctly Filipino dish. The first one is that it came from Pampanga, known as the Culinary Center of the Philippines. Another, from the regal dishes of the Moro elite who once settled in Manila before the Spanish arrival (interestingly enough, in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, Kare-kare also remains a popular dish). Some say that the name comes from a corruption of the word "curry", and that the dish evolved from the cooking of Indians who settled in the area of Cainta, Rizal (see Sepoys) many years ago. The combination of a beef, tripe, and vegetable stew cooked in peanut sauce and served with the pungent fermented shrimp paste (bagoong) that is considered as an integral part of the dish (bagoong is always served with kare-kare), must seem particularly bizarre to non-Filipinos; yet it is one of the ultimate comfort foods for Filipinos worldwide, and is a perennial family favorite in both local and overseas Filipino households.

How to cook KARE KARE

Oxtail, with the skin on and cut into 2-inch lengths, and ox tripe are boiled until tender. Sometimes pieces of ox feet or shins are added. In some varieties, other types of meat are used, such as pork or (rarely) chicken (there is an instance of one version omitting the meat altogether and using vegetables). When the meat is tender, the soup becomes glutinous and to this is added ground roasted peanuts (or peanut butter), ground roasted glutinous rice to make the soup thicker. Atsuete (annatto) is added to give color. The basic vegetables for kare-kare include young banana flower bud or "heart" (puso ng saging), eggplant, string beans, and Chinese cabbage (pechay). Kare-kare is often served hot with special bagoong alamang (sauteed salted shrimp paste).

PORK STEW (Nilagang Baboy)

Nilaga in filipino means 'boiled'. Nilagang Baboy is another filipino food recipe that is easy to make that you just throw everything in the pot and let it cook until tender. It can be with pork or beef of any kind you like and just add any vegetables of your choice. Corns and ripe saba (banana plantain) is also good in this dish. You may or may not add pork and beans -- it's up to you if you'll like it thickened or just a clear soupy dish. You can even add a thumb-size ginger for a pungent flavor. Nilaga is good in any kind of weather.

Ingredients :

· 1 lb. pork (choices of belly, hocks, neck or any bony parts of pork), cut into serving pieces
· 5-6 cups water
· 3 cloves garlic, crushed
· 1 onion, quartered
· 2 green onions (scallions), sliced into 1” long
· 1/4 tsp. peppercorn
· salt to taste
· 2 eddoes- also known as taro or gabi, quartered (optional)
· 2 potatoes, quartered
· 1 can pork and beans
· pechay (bok choy) or cabbage leaves


Cooking Procedures :

1. Place pork in a big pot and let it covered with water. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and let it simmer until pork is tender for about an hour.

2. Remove all the resulting scum that will rise to the top of the pot.

3. Add crushed garlic, sliced onions, scallions, peppercorn and season with salt.

4. Add quartered eddoes (if using) and potatoes. Cook until tender.

5. Add the pork and beans. Simmer for 5 minutes. Correct the seasoning.

6. Add pechay or cabbage leaves. Do not overcook the green vegetables.

7. Remove from heat. Serve hot.