 A bowl ofkare-kare | |
| Course | Main course |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Pampanga,Philippines |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Oxtail,peanut sauce,vegetables |
| Variations | Goat meat,vegetarian, andvegankare-kare |
Kare-kare is a Filipino dish featuring a thick savory peanut sauce. It is generally made from a base of stewedoxtail,beeftripe,pork hocks, calves' feet,pig's feet or trotters, variouscuts of pork, beef stew meat, and occasionallyoffal. Vegetables, such aseggplant,Chinese cabbage, or othergreens,daikon,green beans,okra, andasparagus beans, are added. The stew is flavored with ground roastedpeanuts orpeanut butter,onions, andgarlic. It is colored withannatto and can be thickened with toasted or plain ground rice.[1][2] Variations of kare-kare can be made with seafood, such asprawns,squid, andmussels, or exclusively from vegetables.
Condiments and other flavorings are usually added. It is often eaten withbagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced withchili,ginisáng bagoóng (spiced andsautéed shrimp paste), and sprinkled withcalamansi juice. Other seasonings are added at the table. Variants may includegoat meat or (rarely)chicken.
Traditionally, most Filipinofiestas have kare-kare.[3] It is a complex dish to prepare, with a rich umami.
A more modern twist on the classic Filipino kare-kare uses a different dish as the main meat for this dish. Pork is one of the most economical and easiest meats to cook. The most common meats repurposed for kare-kare arelechon (which is also used forlechon kawali)[4] andcrispy pata (crispy pork shank). Alternative main proteins are tofu, beef chuck, beef shank,maskara ng baka, or cartilage from the cow's face, and tripe.[5]
Kare-kare's history as a Filipino food goes back centuries. There are four stories as to the origins of kare-kare. The first one is that it came fromPampanga (the province which became known all over the country as the "culinary capital of the Philippines").[6] TheKapampangan people often have a reputation for cooking to their hearts’ content and coming up with deliciously rich fare. The second is that the dish, specifically the sauce, from the galleon ships ofAcapulco. Its key ingredient, the mani or peanut, was widely transported in it just like corn, also from the Aztec Empire and from a distant land. Mexico's Costa Pacifica provinces ofJalisco andGuerrero continue to serve LomoEncacahuatado, practically the same dish. The only difference is the type of pork part. In Mexico it is the loin/ Lomo or Maciza. In the Philippines, it is the pork tail or oxtail. The word "Kare-Kare" is supposedly a diminutive of "Cari" which was a term to denote "golden brown"--- in fact it was what the Spaniards and Portuguese called the brown natives they saw at their ports of call. The third comes from the regal dishes of theMoro elite who settled inManila before the Spanish arrival (inSulu andTawi-Tawi, kare-kare remains a popular dish).[7] The fourth story is from Indiansepoys from Southern India that settled in Philippines during theBritish occupation of Manila after they rebelled against their British masters. Homesick, they improvised their own cuisine with available materials. They called itkari-kaari,curry, and now,kare-kare. Its name derived from areduplication ofTamil:கறி,romanized: kaṟi,lit. 'curry; thick sauce'. Kare-kare has a similar flavor to satay because of the peanuts in the sauce.[8]
Theoxtail (with the skin on) is cut into 2-inch lengths. The oxtripe is boiled until tender. Sometimes pieces of ox feet or shins are added. When the meat is tender, the soup becomes gelatinous. Ground roastedpeanuts (orpeanut butter) and ground roastedglutinous rice are added to make the soup thicker.Annatto is added to give color. The vegetables used for kare-kare include youngbanana flower bud or "heart" (puso ng saging),eggplant,string beans, andChinese cabbage (pechay).[9]
Kare-kare is often served hot with specialbagoong alamang (sauteed saltedshrimp paste).[citation needed] Vegan and Vegetarian versions emphasize the use of peanuts and coconuts to create the umami.
Media related toKare-kare at Wikimedia Commons
