Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Toast the ground rice or peanuts before adding them to the stew for deeper flavor.
- Grind peanuts or peanut butter with a little warm broth first to prevent lumps in the sauce.
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes after cooking — the flavors deepen noticeably as it sits.
- For beef soups, boil the bones first, drain, and rinse before adding fresh water for a clearer broth.
Cooking Tips
For the most tender results, cook low and slow — a gentle simmer (not a vigorous boil) breaks down connective tissue without drying out the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning toward the end of cooking. As liquids reduce, flavors concentrate, so what tastes balanced early may become too salty later. Check liquid levels halfway through cooking and add hot water or broth if needed. Long-cooked dishes can dry out or burn if left unattended. In true Kapampangan style — the food capital of the Philippines — don't be shy with the seasoning. Pampanga cooking is known for its bold, confident flavors.
Ingredient Substitutions
No fish sauce (patis)? Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce are decent substitutes in cooked dishes. For a closer match, try anchovy paste dissolved in water. Beef alternatives: For stews, pork shoulder or oxtail provide similar richness. For steaks, try portobello mushrooms or cauliflower steaks for a vegetarian twist. Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Beef Kare-Kare
This is a kare-kare recipe that makes use of beef chuck, instead of the traditional oxtail. It is also known as peanut stew and is best eaten with bagoong alamang.
Instructions
- Heat over the oil. Sauté the onion and add the garlic. Continue to sauté until the onion gets soft.
- Sprinkle some ground black pepper. Stir. Add the beef and cook until the color turns light brown.
- Put the ground peanuts in with the beef. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour the beef broth in the pan. Let boil. Cover and simmer until the beef gets tender (around 60 to 90 minutes.). You can add water or beef broth if needed.
- Meanwhile, prepare to blanch the string beans, eggplant, and bok choy. Boil 4 cups of water in a pot. Put the vegetables in boiling water by batches. Boil the string beans for 2 minutes. Remove from boiling water and immediately put in a bowl with cold water and ice. Remove from the bowl with cold water and put in a clean plate. Do the same steps for the remaining vegetables.
- Once the beef gets tender. Add the fish sauce and the mixture of annatto powder, ½ cup water, and glutinous rice flour. Stir. Continue to cook until the texture of the sauce thickens (3 to 5 minutes in medium heat).
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Arrange the blanched vegetables on the side and top with shrimp paste (bagoong alamang).
- Serve with warm rice.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Toast the ground rice or peanuts before adding them to the stew for deeper flavor.
- Grind peanuts or peanut butter with a little warm broth first to prevent lumps in the sauce.
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes after cooking — the flavors deepen noticeably as it sits.
- For beef soups, boil the bones first, drain, and rinse before adding fresh water for a clearer broth.
Cooking Tips
Taste and adjust seasoning toward the end of cooking. As liquids reduce, flavors concentrate, so what tastes balanced early may become too salty later.
Check liquid levels halfway through cooking and add hot water or broth if needed. Long-cooked dishes can dry out or burn if left unattended.
In true Kapampangan style — the food capital of the Philippines — don't be shy with the seasoning. Pampanga cooking is known for its bold, confident flavors.
Substitutions
Beef alternatives: For stews, pork shoulder or oxtail provide similar richness. For steaks, try portobello mushrooms or cauliflower steaks for a vegetarian twist.
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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