Kare-Kare

The traditional thickener for Kare-Kare is ground roasted peanuts or peanut butter, combined with toasted ground rice. The toasted rice powder is essential because it prevents the peanut oil from separating and gives the stew its signature silky texture. This combination creates the rich, thick gravy the dish is famous for.

Kare-Kare is considered a festive Filipino dish with roots tracing back to pre-colonial Pampanga cooking. Some theories suggest it was influenced by Indian merchants who introduced curry spices, which were later localized by Filipino cooks using peanuts and annatto. It has evolved into the ultimate celebratory dish in the Philippines.

Kare-Kare is traditionally served with bagoong, a salty and pungent fermented shrimp paste, because the stew itself contains no salt or internal seasoning. The umami-rich bagoong acts as the primary seasoning agent, balancing the rich, nutty flavor of the peanut sauce. The contrast between the sweet peanuts and salty paste is essential.

A classic Kare-Kare features a specific mix of vegetables, including eggplant, Chinese long beans (sitaw), and banana hearts (puso ng saging). Bok choy (pechay) is also commonly added at the very end of cooking to provide a fresh, leafy bite. These specific vegetables soak up the rich peanut broth beautifully.