P
Filipino
Kare-Kare
Kare-kare is the Philippines' most distinctively flavoured stew — oxtail, tripe, and banana blossom braised in a rich peanut sauce thickened with toasted rice and ground annatto (achuete), served with a separate side of bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste) that is added individually at the table. The peanut sauce is made from ground toasted peanuts (not peanut butter) combined with annatto-coloured stock, and it should be deeply golden, nutty, and rich without sweetness. The bagoong is not optional — it provides the salt and fermented depth that the unseasoned peanut sauce requires. The combination of the mild, nutty sauce with the pungent, salty bagoong creates a flavour dialogue that neither element could achieve alone.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
1.2 kg
oxtail
cut into 5 cm segments
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
300 g
beef tripe
cleaned, cut into bite-sized pieces
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200 g
For the peanut base
300 g
raw peanuts
skin on, for toasting then grinding
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 g
raw rice
toasted dry until golden, then ground to a fine powder
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2 tbsp
annatto seeds (achuete)
bloomed in oil, seeds then discarded
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3 tbsp
neutral oil
for blooming the annatto
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1.5 litres
braising stock
from the oxtail and tripe braise
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1
white onion
roughly chopped
Your own market
4 cloves
garlic
roughly chopped
Your own market
For the bagoong
150 g
bagoong alamang
fermented shrimp paste, raw
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3 cloves
garlic
finely chopped
Your own market
1 tbsp
neutral oil
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
To serve
4 portions
steamed white rice
freshly cooked
Your own market
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Place the oxtail and tripe in a large pot. Cover generously with cold water, bring to a boil, and skim the surface thoroughly. Reduce to a steady simmer and braise uncovered for a minimum of 3 hours, adding water as needed to keep the meat submerged. The oxtail is ready when the flesh yields without resistance to a skewer and the collagen around each joint has softened to a trembling, unctuous consistency — the bone should release cleanly when pressed.
2
Remove the oxtail and tripe to a tray and reserve 1.5 litres of the braising stock. Toast the raw peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat, turning frequently, until they are three shades darker than expected — the skins will blister and the interior will be a deep amber. While the peanuts are still warm, transfer them to a grinder or blender with a ladleful of the hot braising stock and grind to a coarse, oily paste. The heat opens the peanut's cell structure, integrating the oils fully; the resulting paste will be noticeably richer and smoother than room-temperature grinding allows. The paste should be dense, cohesive, and deeply fragrant.
3
In the same dry pan, toast the raw rice over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is uniformly golden and smells of popcorn. Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Set aside.
4
Warm the 3 tablespoons of neutral oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the annatto seeds and let them bloom gently, swirling the pot, until the oil is deeply golden-orange and the seeds have given up their colour — approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the seeds. The oil should be vivid and uniform in colour; no seeds remain in the finished dish.
5
In the annatto oil, sweat the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the peanut paste and stir to combine, then gradually ladle in the reserved braising stock, stirring constantly to prevent the paste from catching. Add the ground toasted rice and continue to stir as the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. This is where the dish lives or dies: the sauce must be smooth, deeply golden, and richly nutty — neither so thick it coats a spoon in a heavy mass, nor so thin it runs like soup — and it must carry no salt of its own, as all seasoning will come from the bagoong at table. Adjust the stock to reach the correct body.
From the canon — The production technique (bagoong alamang): harvest fresh alamang (krill-sized shrimp, Acetes species). Bagoong (Fermented Shrimp/Fish Paste) →
6
Add the braised oxtail, tripe, and banana blossom to the peanut sauce. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes until the banana blossom is tender and the meat has absorbed the sauce. The banana blossom is done when it offers no resistance to a spoon's edge.
7
For the bagoong: warm the tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook until pale gold. Add the bagoong alamang and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw, harsh edge of the ferment has softened to a rounded, deeply savoury aroma. The bagoong is ready when its smell shifts from sharp and piercing to warm and oceanic. Transfer to a small dish and bring to the table separately.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Oxtail from grass-fed cattle with good collagen yield; peanuts from a single-origin crop with pronounced flavour; bagoong alamang of artisanal provenance, minimally adulterated.
02
Estate — Fresh oxtail from a reputable butcher; quality raw peanuts toasted to order; commercially produced bagoong alamang of recognised Philippine brand.
03
Market — Standard butcher's oxtail and tripe; supermarket raw peanuts; readily available bagoong alamang from an Asian grocer.
04
House — Pre-cut oxtail from a frozen pack; jarred bagoong alamang. Do not substitute peanut butter — the sweetness and altered fat profile are incompatible with the dish's character.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Touch. Oxtail flesh yields to a skewer without resistance; collagen around the joint trembles and the bone releases cleanly when pressed.
◇Sight. Annatto oil is vivid, uniform golden-orange with no seeds remaining.
◇Smell. Toasted peanuts are three shades darker than expected, with a deep, roasted fragrance; toasted rice smells of popcorn.
◇Sight. The finished sauce is deeply golden, smooth, and of a body that coats a spoon without running thin or sitting in a heavy mass.
◇Touch. Banana blossom offers no resistance to a spoon's edge when pressed.
◇Smell. Sautéed bagoong shifts from sharp and piercing to warm and oceanic, signalling that the raw pungency has cooked off.
◇Where it lives or dies. The peanut sauce must be smooth, deeply golden, and richly nutty, carrying no salt of its own — all seasoning belongs to the bagoong at table, and a sauce that is pre-salted, sweet, or poorly bodied cannot be corrected at service.
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VI
What to Pour
The pairing
Fortified wine
From British Columbia
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Without alcohol
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The whole pairingPillar VII
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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