Now who doesn't love Kare-Kare? The combination of tender meat and the savoury sauce, and yes the bago-ong - all scream for extra rice!
But of course preparing kare-kare "from scratch" tends to be a labor intensive especially when you have to prepare the sauce using the traditional recipe - ground peanuts, toasted rice, achuete, etc.
But good thing there are different brands of ready-to-use kare-kare mixes available that making kare-kare now takes a few simple steps.
But of course preparing kare-kare "from scratch" tends to be a labor intensive especially when you have to prepare the sauce using the traditional recipe - ground peanuts, toasted rice, achuete, etc.
- 1 kilo Pata (hocks), if you could choose the meaty portions much better
- 2 Packs instant Kare-Kare mix (I used Del Monte Quick N Easy Kare-Kare Mix)
- Eggplant,sliced
- Puso ng Saging, cleaned and sliced
- Sitaw, cut around 2-3 inches long
- Pechay
- Salt
- Water
- Sauteed Bago-ong (I used store-bought Barrio Fiesta)
How to make Kare-Kare na Pata
- Boil pata until tender. Remove impurities that will arise. It took me over an hour of boiling to get the tenderness I wanted.
- Add puso ng saging and boil for 3-5 minutes or until tender.
- In a bowl, dissolve kare-kare mix using broth from the boiled pata.
- Mix-in the sauce together with the pata and puso ng saging and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the consistency is not thick enough, you can mix-in some slurry (cornstarch and water) to thicken to your desired consistency.
- Season with salt or bago-ong.
- Add eggplant and sitaw. Simmer for 3 minutes or until tender.
- Finally, add pechay and cook for a minute or two.
- Top with fried garlic if desired. Serve with bago-ong. (I add calamansi to the bago-ong for some zesty flavour)
Note that there are no "measurements" for the for the vegetables. Just add as much as you like or what's available.