Kare Kare: Oxtail & Peanut Stew

Many people associate peanut butter with more sweet dishes but growing up, peanut butter was a savory ingredient. This is one of my favorite Filipino dishes from childhood because of it’s rich flavors.

2-4 lbs beef oxtail
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 jar crunchy peanut butter
1 can banana blossoms, drained
2 Japanese eggplants (talong)
1 bunch Chinese long bean (sitaw)
salt & pepper to taste
condiment: shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)

In a dutch oven or large pot, place oxtail and cover with water. Boil for 3 hours on medium high heat; adding water to cover as needed. This is to soften the meat as the cut is fairly tough. You could also cook the oxtail in a slow cooker on low heat overnight.

After 3 hours, drain oxtail and rinse. In a clean dutch oven or large pot, place oxtail and cover with water.

Add minced garlic and sliced onion; boil until onions are tender, about 5-10 minutes.

While pot is boiling, prepare the vegetables.
– For the eggplant, cut in 2-3 inch lengths and quarter.
– For the long beans, cut off ends and then cut in 2-3 inch lengths.

After the onions in the pot have softened, add jar of peanut butter and stir until dissolved and full incorporated.

Add the long beans on top of the meat and then the eggplant; cover. Do not stir. (The steam from the meat and sauce will cook the vegetables with little effort.)

To serve, place in a serving dish and serve with steamed rice. To add saltiness to taste, serve with shrimp paste on the side.