Kare-kare is a celebration dish — it appears at Filipino fiestas, birthdays, and major family occasions alongside lechon and sinigang. The name likely derives from the Indian kari (curry), a linguistic trace of South Asian influence on Philippine cooking through trade routes and migration, but the dish itself is distinctly Filipino in character: the peanut sauce, the banana blossom, the tripe, and especially the bagoong pairing have no close Indian counterpart.
The Sauce
The kare-kare sauce has two defining ingredients:
Ground peanuts (or peanut butter): The primary flavor and texture element. Traditional kare-kare uses roasted peanuts ground to a paste. Modern and home versions use peanut butter (smooth, unsalted or lightly salted). The peanuts provide richness, body, and the characteristic nutty flavor.
Toasted rice flour: A thickener that also contributes a slightly roasted, starchy note. Rice is dry-toasted in a pan until it turns golden, then ground to a fine powder. This is different from raw rice flour — the toasting is important.
Annatto (achuete): The seeds of the annatto tree (Bixa orellana) are simmered in oil or water to extract their orange-yellow pigment. The color is visual but also contributes a faint, earthy sweetness. Annatto is the same colorant used in Sazon seasoning in Latin America (another trace of Spanish colonial exchange). Annatto powder (available at Latin and Asian grocery stores) or the seeds are used.
The sauce is mild and slightly sweet. It is not spicy. It is designed to be rich and enveloping.
The Protein
Traditional kare-kare uses:
- Oxtail: The primary protein in most versions. Oxtail requires 2–3 hours of slow cooking (pressure cooker: 45–60 minutes) to become tender and release collagen, which adds body to the sauce.
- Beef tripe: Often included alongside oxtail. Tripe requires similar long cooking and contributes a distinctive texture.
- Pork hocks: A common variation.
- Seafood (Kare-kare na Seafood): A modern version using shrimp, squid, and mussels instead of oxtail. Cooks much faster (15–20 minutes). Popular in restaurants as a lighter alternative.
The Vegetables
Specific vegetables are used in kare-kare, and they are part of the dish's identity:
- Banana blossom (puso ng saging): The male flower of the banana plant. The outer purple petals are removed; the inner pale yellow florets are used. Banana blossom has a meaty texture when cooked and a mild flavor. Available canned at Asian grocery stores.
- Eggplant (talong): Quartered or halved.
- Long beans (sitaw): Cut into 5cm segments.
- Bok choy or pechay: Added at the end.
The vegetables are cooked separately (blanched) and added to the stew near the end to prevent them from becoming mushy.
Bagoong Alamang
This is not optional. Kare-kare is eaten by spooning the stew over rice and adding a portion of bagoong alongside. The bagoong is mixed into each bite or placed alongside and incorporated as you eat.
What it is: Fermented tiny shrimp (alamang) — shrimp that are very small (1–2mm), salted heavily and fermented. The result is a paste or sauce ranging from pink-gray to dark purple, with a powerful, funky, salty flavor.
The function: Kare-kare's sauce is mild and rich. Bagoong provides the salt, the umami depth, and the pungent, fermented funk that makes the dish complete. The two elements balance each other — the richness of the peanut sauce is cut by the sharpness of the bagoong, and the bagoong's intensity is tempered by the mildness of the stew.
Sautéed bagoong (bagoong guisado) is the preferred version for kare-kare: raw bagoong is fried with garlic, onion, tomato, and sometimes a small amount of sugar until cooked and slightly caramelized. This version has a more complex, less raw flavor.
The Complete Recipe
Serves: 6–8 Time: 3 hours (or 1 hour 30 minutes with a pressure cooker)
For the Stew
- 1.5kg oxtail, cut into 5cm segments
- 200g beef tripe, cut into strips (optional)
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Sauce
- 300g roasted peanuts, ground to a paste (or 200g smooth unsalted/lightly salted peanut butter)
- 3 tablespoons rice flour, dry-toasted until golden
- 2 tablespoons annatto seeds soaked in 100ml warm water for 10 minutes (or 1 tsp annatto powder)
- Broth from cooking the oxtail
Vegetables
- 1 can banana blossom, drained and quartered
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into wedges
- 200g long beans, cut into 5cm pieces
- 150g bok choy or pechay
Method
1. Cook the oxtail: Season oxtail with salt and pepper. In a large pot, sear oxtail in oil over high heat until browned on all sides. Add onion, garlic, and enough water to cover (about 2 liters). Bring to a boil; skim foam. Reduce to a simmer; cook 2.5–3 hours until meat is very tender. (Pressure cooker: 45–60 minutes at high pressure.) Reserve broth.
2. Make the sauce: In the same pot, strain 1.5 liters of the oxtail broth. Add peanut paste or peanut butter; whisk until dissolved. Add toasted rice flour; whisk smooth. Add annatto water (or powder). Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens — about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
3. Add oxtail back: Return the cooked oxtail (and tripe if using) to the sauce. Simmer together 10–15 minutes to marry the flavors.
4. Blanch vegetables: In a separate pot of salted boiling water, blanch each vegetable separately: banana blossom (3 min), eggplant (2 min), long beans (2 min), bok choy (1 min). Drain.
5. Assemble: Add blanched vegetables to the kare-kare just before serving. Serve with white steamed rice and sautéed bagoong alamang on the side.
Related reading: Filipino Adobo Guide | Sinigang Filipino Sour Tamarind Soup Guide | Rendang Indonesian Slow-Cooked Beef Guide
The full recipes live in the book.
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