Kare-Kare

Method

1. 1

   Combine the 1.2 kg oxtail, 2 L water and 100 g yellow onion in a large pot, bring to the boil, skim, then lower the heat and simmer for 2h, until the meat is fork-tender. Lift out the oxtail and reserve the broth.

   cook · 2h

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat the 20 ml vegetable oil in a separate pan and cook the 2 garlic cloves (10 g) until fragrant. Stir in the 8 g achiote and cook briefly to colour the oil, then add the 120 g roasted peanuts and 25 g rice and enough of the reserved broth to loosen into a thick, pourable sauce, stirring for 8m.

   cook · 8m

   The rice is toasted dry before grinding, which is what gives the sauce its nutty depth and lets it thicken without tasting starchy the way raw rice flour would.

3. 3

   Return the oxtail to the pot with the sauce, adding more reserved broth as needed, and simmer gently for 10m, until the sauce coats the meat thickly.

   cook · 10m

4. 4

   Add the 200 g aubergine and 150 g long beans and simmer for 8m, then stir in the 200 g bok choy for the final minute, just until it wilts.

   cook · 8m

   Common pitfallAubergine and bok choy take very different times to cook through. Added together rather than staggered, one is always either raw or collapsing.

5. 5

   Separately, heat the 10 ml vegetable oil and cook the 2 garlic cloves (10 g) until golden. Add the 60 g shrimp paste and cook for 5m, stirring, until fragrant. Serve alongside the stew as a condiment.

   cook · 5m