Chinese Food Culture

Out of all Asian cuisines, I need to confess that I am most ignorant when it comes to Filipino cuisine. First of all, I’ve yet traveled to the Philippines to sample its local cuisine; secondly, it’s not simple to find Filipino food, as outlined by Marvin of Burnt Lumpia and this article in Los Angeles Times. Divina Pe of Sense & Serendipity is here today to share with us a Filipino kare kare or ox tail and peanut stew recipe. Divina is a professional cook, holistic nutritionist and aspiring cookbook author from the Philippines and you can expect many delicious recipes and mouthwatering food photography at Sense & Serendipity. Please welcome Sense & Serendipity to Rasa Malaysia and learn all about kare kare, a delicious Filipino stew.

I grew up with my late-father’s Chinese cooking and actually regretted not spending more time in the kitchen with him. He never encouraged me to cook but his love for food was contagious enough for me to do the same thing. When Rasa Malaysia invited me to do a Filipino dish on her blog, I am really honored and yet surprised at the same time. I do eat Filipino food but rarely cook them at home except for the classic adobo. I was filled with tension not knowing what to make. Of course, the restlessness shows when one of the authorities in Asian cuisine invited you for a guest Recipe. And one of the recipes that came to my attention is Kare Kare.

There are a several stories about the origin of Kare Kare. First, it says the dish came from Pampanga, which is considered as the culinary center of the Philippines. Others believe that it is a noble dish served to Moro elite who once settled in Manila before the arrival of the Spaniards. Another origin states that this traditional dish is credited to the Indian curry introduced by Indians whole lived in the area of Cainta, Rizal and it is also somewhat similar to the Indonesian dish called Gado-Gado. And the name Kare Kare is derived from the Japanese word Kare which might have been contributed by the Japanese while doing business in the Philippines during the pre-colonial times…

I’ve learned the way to make Kare Kare when the amusing and talented Chef Stephane Meyer asked me to cook Filipino food for staff meal. He was aware that I only have two months left in Vancouver before going back towards Philippines. So, I asked again if he genuinely wants Filipino food hoping that he would ask for anything else. And of course he is though giving me that odd appear. Soon after my morning shift, I went straight for the library to search for Filipino cookbooks and specifically appear for Kare Kare. I know tips on how to cook adobo but I still chose Kare Kare, not knowing that could possibly get offended by the foul-smelling fermented shrimp paste. I even emailed my brother and sister to send me the recipe so I could compare the ingredients plus the procedure. I also visited the Filipino store to purchase some ethnic ingredients whilst giving the other market list towards the chef requesting for beef short ribs, some vegetables and a green papaya. The chef and 2 other colleagues (not certain about the 2 owners) loved it. I served the Kare Kare with some green papaya salad and steamed rice. After that he requested for an additional dish.

Kare Kare is often a dish that seem complicated to do. But should you compare this with other stews, it’s not too challenging at all. I always cook the meat one day ahead, store in the fridge and remove the hardened fat on the surface the following day. You’ll find three components of this dish. Initial could be the meat, which is usually ox tail but it can also be done with other cuts of beef for example beef shanks or short ribs, or a combination of both. Occasionally tripe is also added. Second could be the sauce that is created of sliced onions, finely ground peanuts, toasted ground rice and also the annatto seeds (mainly for color). The last component could be the vegetables which consist of banana flower bud or heart, eggplant, string beans, okra or bok choy. This can be a dish that you could either hate or love simply because of its naturally bland flavor along with the sort of peanuts or even peanut butter that you use would make a large difference. And Kare Kare need to be served with bagoong, a pungent and salty condiment of fermented shrimps. Without it, you may as well cook anything else.

Even though beef will be the most common ingredient, Kare Kare can also be produced with seafood (prawns, squid, and mussels) or all vegetables.