Crispy Kare-Kare

The marriage of kare-kare and crispy pork, two of the most yummiest foods in the Philippines.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 tablespoons annatto (achuete) seeds
1 medium red onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups pork broth
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 to 3 tablespoons ground glutinous (malagkit) rice, toasted
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 bundle of string beans
2 bundles of pechay
4-5 pcs of eggplant, sliced
Fried Pork Cubes or Liempo or Lechon Kawali or Crispy Pata

Procedure:

Heat oil in a medium saucepan until very hot. Add annatto seeds and turn off fire. Stir until oil becomes red. Strain seeds and pour oil back to the pan. Add onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.Add broth and bring to a boil, then simmer. Whisk peanut butter until sauce becomes smooth. Add ground malagkit rice and whisk until thick. Season with fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.

Blanched vegetables and string beans. Set aside.

Fry eggplant until cooked.

Place kare-kare sauce and vegetables on a serving platter. Arrange pork on top. Serve with bagoong.

Vegetarian Kare-Kare

Kare-Kare is a classic Filipino stew made of meat and vegetables in thick and creamy peanut sauce. This is the vegan version using snow fungus which is also called the tremella, natural mushroom, good for health. It can mostly be found in Chinese grocery stores.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium white onion, chopped
6 cups water
2 eggplants, cut into one-inch slices
1 piece beef or chicken bouillon cube
2½ tablespoons achuete, fried in oil to gather the color
1 small bottle peanut butter (I use the whole bottle but you can lessen it if you do not want it to be too much sweet peanut in taste)
1/3 cup ground white rice or more depending how thick you want it to be like
1 small bunch long beans, cut to 2-inch slices, ends removed
2 pieces dried snow fungus, soaked in warm water for 1-3 minutes, base removed, cut into big chunks
1 bundle pechay, bottom stalk cut off, thoroughly washed
salt to taste

Note : Banana blossoms can be added but I prefer it without for vegan version

Procedure:
In a large pot, saute garlic and onions. Add few pinches of salt. Saute until onions are translucent.
Add eggplant, water, bouillon cube, and achuete. Mix and cover pot. Simmer until eggplant  are tender. Add peanut butter and ground rice. Keep mixing until sauce gets smooth and creamy. If sauce gets too thick, add more water to adjust the consistency.
Add long beans, snow fungus, and pechay. Put to a boil and turn off heat.

Serve over rice and vegan bagoong on the side.