PORK KARE-KARE RECIPE | KARE-KARENG PATA NG BABOY

I love to cook new recipes and when my better half mentioned some of his favourite Filipino dishes I had to 'attempt' to cook them. Keeping in mind I'm neither Filipino or a cook, these are what I suppose is my UK interpretation of the dishes. I've enjoyed a fair few dishes from the Philippines - Sinigang, Pancit Canton, Tinola, Adobo and a few more, I want to kick start my Steemit journey with some recipes and wellness and I suppose, Kare-Kare is a great way to start it off.

What is Kare-Kare?

Originally this dish came from Pampanga which is just north of Manila in the Philippines. The sauce equivalent is not unlike satay but I think that's mostly because both have a smooth peanut sauce taste. Although the name ''Kare'' is derived from the word ''Kari'' it doesn't taste like curry at all. It's not spicy, it's not hot, its more of a smooth and warming taste - much like the satay that most people know.

Hint: The recipe can be adapted to suit what you have in your fridge, swap the meat for another - beef, pork, lamb, duck even. And, if you only have pak choi, cabbage, carrots even - try using those instead of the broccoli.

Ingredients

▶ 500g Pork Belly
▶ 2 litres Water
▶ 1 tbsp Olive oil
▶ 250g Green beans
▶ Pack of Broccoli

Kare-Kare Sauce
▶ 2 cups Pork Broth (from cooking the pork belly)
▶ 60g sliced Onions
▶ 1 tbsp crushed garlic
▶ 1 tbsp Olive oil
▶ 1/4 cup Roasted peanuts - chopped
▶ 3 large tbsp Peanut Butter
▶ 1/2 tbsp Shrimp paste
▶ Salt & Pepper
▶ Cornflower (optional)

How to Cook
▼ In a large pot, boil the pork belly in the water, season with salt and pepper. Set aside the pork broth.
▼ Saute onion in the oil and add the garlic and chopped peanuts.
▼ Add the reserved pork broth, peanut butter and shrimp paste to the pot and simmer for around ten minutes.
▼ If you wish your sauce to be thicker, add a little cornflour until it thickens, season the sauce well.
▼ In a steamer (Or in the microwave if you don't have one) add the broccoli. Cook until tender. If using a microwave, add the broccoli to some water in a bowl and cook until soft.
▼ In a new pot, saute garlic and onion in some oil. Once browned, add in the cooked pork belly.
▼ Crisp the pork belly fat (optional)
▼ Mix in the sauce and simmer for approx. 10mins.
▼ Serve with rice and enjoy!

That wraps up my UK equivalent of a super moorish Filipino recipe. Have you ever tried Kare-Kare? if so, how does your recipe differ from mine? I'd love to hear your thoughts...