There is no need for Mama Sita’s Kare-Kare mix here. This Kare-Kare, my friends, is made from scratch and SLOW-COOKED. The sauce tastes like it has Kare Kare mix in it and you can scrape out the thought that a Kare Kare can only be made with Mama Sita’s help…
Kare Kare is one of that Filipino recipes in which you think is complicated to make, but it is not. To be honest, before I married my husband, I had no idea about what Kare Kare was. Kare Kare was believed to have originated from his hometown, Pampanga. So once in a while, he gets a craving for it. My kids love it and I love it too. So when we make it, we use a Mama Sita’s Kare Kare mix thinking that this is the only way to make a Kare Kare. And I assume, this is how the rest of the Pinoy’s around the world thought so too.
For a long time, I thought that one cannot make a Kare-Kare without Mama Sita Kare-Kare mix until when we went home in the Philippines and my dad, who is a Bicolano, made his version of Kare-Kare—- KARE-KARE from scratch that is! And the verdict, the kids thought that it was way better than our “instant” version. Although I did not notice any difference, whatever they think is good enough reason for me to share this Kare-Kare from scratch recipe with you all.
In fact, today I made this Kare-Kare because a few months ago, my son said, “ I miss grandpa’s Kare- Kare,” while munching our “instant Kare-kare version. So I PM my mom for the recipe. And here it is.
While enjoying this Kare-Kare right in front of me, I do not think there is any difference in terms of tastes between a Kare-Kare with Mama Sita mix and the Kare-Kare without it. The only PLUS factor is that you will now be able to make Kare-Kare even if you are living in a place without an Asian store that carries Kare-Kare mix. Also, finally. you can scratch out the thought that Kare-Kare can be made only with an aid of Mama Sita’s in it.
This recipe is super easy and the ingredients are oh so common —- you do not need those Annato seeds or those ingredients that you have not heard of. This Kare-Kare needs only garlic, onion, peanut butter, and vegetables in them… AND TO MAKE IT A NO FUSS WAY OF COOKING, I slow cooked it. PLEASE TRY IT AND YOU WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO TRY THIS FAMOUS FILIPINO CUISINE.
SLOW-COOKED KARE-KARE FROM SCRATCH- FILIPINO PEANUT STEW FROM SCRATCH
Ingredients
- 4 lbs ox tail
- 1½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce I used Rufina Patis
- ½ cup onion
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ lb egg plant string beans and banana heart
- 2 pieces large bok choy leaves
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 cups of water
- SERVING
- Shrimp Paste
- banana heart,string beans optional
Instructions
- Place Ox Tail or Beef Meat in a crock pot add the water
- Slow cooked on high for 2 hours on high or overnight on low for 4 hours. When using Beef, lower the cooking time . ( I recommend setting a timer in your slow cooker, as we don't want the meat to be too soft.)
- When the meat are done and ready, heat the cooking oil in a separate cooking pan and saute' garlic and onion. Around 2 minutes.
- Add in the broth from the cook meat , the eggplant,banan heart and string beans (if using ),and let it simmer to blend the flavors, and cook until the eggplants are soft.
- Add in 1/2 to 2/3 cup of peanut butter.YOUR AIM SHOULD MAKE THE SAUCE CREAMY AND WITH A GENTLE TASTE OF PEANUT BUTTER (NOT OVERWHELMING), SO ADD THE PEANUT BUTTER VERY SLOWLY.
- Keep on stirring so as not to burn the peanut butter at the bottom of the cooking pan.
- Season with the fish sauce.
- Add the Oxtail meat and the bok choy.
- Serve with sauteed Shrimp. Enjoy this Filipino cuisine!
Video
Notes
- Put ox tail meat in a ceramic slow cooker.
- Add in water and slow cooked on high for 5 hours and 7 hours on low.
- When meat is ready, separate the soup and ox tail.
- Saute' onion in a deep frying pan and then add the soup. Let it simmer and add the egg plant. Continue cooking until egg plant is tender.
- Add in the peanut butter and mix to blend the soup and the peanut butter.
- Add in fish sauce. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if you want it to be saltier. The 2 tablespoons was good enough for me.
- Simmer for 1 more minute and add in the ox tail meat and the bok choy leaves. Cook for 4 more minutes and serve hot with shrimp paste.
I am so glad they liked it!!!You did well.
My guests loved this ! I just added 1 beef bouillon cube since I used more water to cover 3 lbs oxtail. And I added more vegetables which I cooked separately in water with beef bouillon.
Two cloves of chopped garlic. That’s about one tablespoon.
how much garlic?
aww,thank you.
I am so happy I came across this recipe! I moved away from my family and have been homesick. I miss my mom and grandma’s filipino cooking so much! I’m now learning to cook filipino food myself and due to the lack of asian stores it’s really hard. But this recipe came out amazing and I am so thankful you posted it!
Have not tried it with Anatto oil. Pretty much the color is similar to the picture.
Hi! Hows the color? Is it more on the brown side? Im just curious since the ususal kare kare is orangey, can i add annato oil? will the flavor be different? Thanks
I am so glad you like it. I made a video for How to Make Kare-Kare and will post it very soon.
It was so good! Thank you! The only thing I did differently was slow cook the oxtail on high for 6 hours and added more string beans and one more eggplant.
Hope you will succeed and enjoy it.
Im so excited to try this recipe. I cant wait!!!
Hello. You can use beef chuck for this.
Hello,
I am so excited to make this recipe! If I’m using beef instead, which cut of beef should I buy?
Thanks!
This recipe serves 5-6 people.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! Feeling inspired! Just wondering how many servings does this recipe yield for?
You can add all the broth if you want to just like I do, because my kids love the left over kare-kare even with just the soup.But note that this recipe yields a lot of broth. So it’s up to you if you want to have small amount of soup in your kare-kare. Just season it accordingly.
How much broth do i add in step number 5. All?
Hello, I actually used the Skippy brand— the creamy one. You can use any brand of creamy butter. Be careful not to use the one with solid nuts/crunchy. Tried it before and it was a disaster. Also, always make sure that the peanut butter will not settle on the bottom of the pot by stirring it. Good luck!!!!
Hello, I actually used the Skippy brand— the creamy one. You can use any brand of creamy butter. Be careful not to use the one with solid nuts/crunchy. Tried it before and it was a disaster. Also, always make sure that the peanut butter will not settle on the bottom of the pot by stirring it. Good luck!!!!
Hi. This looks delicious. Jut wondering what brand of peanjt butter you used. I dont know if skippy brand would do or if it has to be peanut butter from the ph. Thanks and god bless!
Well. since I followed the directions exactly I have to assume it came out as it should. I quite enjoyed it, though my roommate – accustomed to Hungarian spices – found it a bit bland. I figure comfort food is usually relaxing not exciting, and the flavors were good. Initially I think I was a bit too cautious with the peanut butter – could barely tell it was there, so I added a bit more for round two – lunches for the week 🙂 Oh, and about the bagoong – I liked it, she wouldn’t even put it in – different tastes!
I was raised in the downtown NYC Hawaiian community, so I was exposed to a wide variety of what some folks would call exotic cuisine – Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Samoan and who knows what else. To the best of my recollection this is my first Filipino food – but it won’t be the last!!!
Good luck!!!!
So it is only really getting hot, not cooking – sounds yummy – love bok choi! Thank you! I am making it this weekend and just wanted to get everything right 🙂
I add the Bok Choy with the meat,that is when the eggplant is already soft. I will add this in the notes too:)
OK< thanks to your comment I did a Google search and discovered not one but two Asian stores within my area, and though neither carries the Kamayan brand sauteed shrimp paste I was able to get a small jar of Golden Hands brand, and with all the other ingredients now on hand all I need is time to assemble it.
Before I do, however I do have one more question – I am unclear about how the the bok choy fits into this – all the recipe says is 1) it is needed and 2) add it after all the cooking seems to be done – was it supposed to be cooked with the onions and garlic, or really eaten raw, or barely warmed, added after the other ingredients are done cooking? Maybe my unfamiliarity with this cuisine is showing but I am trying to learn 🙂
Thank you for the link and the welcome – I will certainly check out your other recipes 🙂
Hello! I am so glad to meet you . Kamayan Shrimp Paste is the brand I use for my Kare-kare. Unfortunately it is so expensive online but it is cheaper in Asian stores if there is nay in your neighbouring area.Please enjoy your warm weather there in Florida; as for us here in Kansas, it is getting better. Try the Siopao too and the Suman .
Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/Kamayan-Sauteed-Shrimp-Paste-Regular/dp/B007MUZMBI
My mouth is watering! I have most of the ingredients on hand, and the others I can readily pick up, except for the apparently indispensable Sautee’s Shrimp Paste.
I presume that is a brand name, but Google is coming up blank for me. Any help on a source? I live in an area of Florida with no noticeable Filipino population, so local sourcing is out. Is it online somewhere, or is there an alternate brand I could look for?
I am new to this site – by way of an irresistible link in Buzzfeed today, but I am now a subscriber – I want more!!!
Sorry , I just saw your comment. I used creamy Jiffy peanut butter.
What kind of peanut butter did you use?
I really hope it works for you… and don’t forget the bagoong
thank you for sahring this kare-kare recipe I will try this
So true. I am glad that my dad taught me not to depend on Kare-Kare mix 🙂
Nothing beats kare kare, bagoong and hot rice. Such a comfort meal!