Have you ever had Kare-Kare? This is a traditional Filipino oxtail stew. Kare Kare is a rich and thick peanut sauce-based Filipino dish. It is a classic meal eaten on special occasions in the Philippines. The customary recipe requires a cow tail.

There are several recipes that call for both ox tripe and tail. String beans, eggplant, bok choy, and banana blossoms are among the vegetables used in this meal. To thicken the sauce, golden brown toasted powdered rice is utilized.

What is Kare-Kare?

Kare-Kare is a famous Filipino stew given on special occasions such as fiestas, birthdays, and family reunions. The dish’s signature component is its peanut sauce. This is created from peanut butter, powdered toasted rice, and annatto seed extract and is prepared with a variety of vegetables and meat (typically oxtail or ox tripe). It has a milder flavor than other rich Philippine meals, which is why it is frequently served with bagoong, a salty shrimp paste.

This meal is prepared in a palayok or clay pot. At the very same time, it serves as a serving dish. Kare-Kare tastes best when served with regular white rice. Bagoong alamang, or fermented shrimp paste, adds character to the meal. Simply mix a spoonful of rice, Kare-Kare, and bagoong with a tiny piece of bagoong and enjoy!

Kare-Kare Variants

Kare-kare has multiple variations. The most noticeable distinction between them is related to the meat component. We now know that oxtail is the typical protein in this meal. Tripe is another useful meat option. There are various variations that employ different types of beef and even seafood.

Beef Kare-Kare

The classic variation is known as beef Kare-Kare. This primarily applies to beef-based variations. Beef Kare-Kare is made of beef chuck, beef shank, and Maskara ng Baka, or cartilage from the cow’s face.

Seafood Kare Kare

Seafood includes shrimp, crab, mussels, and squid. There is a recipe that includes all of these items. It’s known as seafood Kare-Kare. Fish can be utilized as well.

Pata Kare-Kare

If you want to make Kare-Kare with a pig leg or a pork hock, this is called pat. Pata is the second most common ingredient, just after oxtail. This cut of meat is popular, not just because it is less expensive than beef but because it complements the other flavors greatly.

Pata is a favorite ingredient in my Kare Kare. The rich and flavorful sauce compliments the pata’s soft flesh and fat. It’s scrumptious!

Be sure to check these Filipino Recipes:

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Authentic Ensaymada Recipe

Beef Tapa Filipino Recipe

Easy Chicken Tocino

Maja Blanca Easy Recipe

Homemade Sisig Recipe

Chicken Liver Adobo

Technique for Cooking Kare Kare

Let’s get into how I made the rendition in this recipe article. The key steps are to tenderize the meat, create the sauce, and prepare the veggies.

Boil the meat with the sliced onion to soften it. This should make it supple while also giving a wonderful taste. For the most outstanding results, oxtail should be really tender. If trying the conventional technique, it takes approximately 3 hours to boil. A pressure cooker is a faster option. It cuts the cooking time in half.

The peanut sauce has the power to make or ruin your meal. Therefore, it is critical to have the right mixture ratio to create the desired sauce quality. Try not to get it perfect – not too heavy or too thin. To prepare the sauce, I combine peanut butter and crushed peanuts. It gives it a deep taste. Annatto seeds give the sauce a crimson hue. You’ll need to soak the seed in warm water for around 12 minutes to remove the color. The colored water, not the seed, is utilized to produce the dish. After using the seed, throw it away. Toasted ground rice can be used as a thickening agent for the sauce.

Vegetables are an integral part of Kare Kare. They can be cooked alongside the meat or added after the meal is served. I chose to sauté the veggies separately with garlic.

Cooking Hints for Kare-Kare

To rapidly tenderize the oxtail, use a pressure cooker. It tends to take me half an hour, as opposed to about 3 hours when done traditionally.

When boiling with the conventional technique, keep an eye on the quantity of water. Pour in extra water as required until the meat is thoroughly soft.

Bagoong alamang, or shrimp paste, is a vital ingredient. It must be thoroughly cooked before serving. I’ll be making this recipe soon for you, in the meantime, precooked bottled bagoong alamang is also available in supermarkets.

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List of Ingredients

• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 small banana flower bud sliced
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 bundle pechay or bok choy
• 1 bundle of string beans sliced into 2-inch pieces
• 4 pieces of eggplant sliced
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shrimp paste
• 1/2 cup of annatto seeds (soaked in water)
• 1/2 cup toasted ground rice
• 1 cup ground peanuts
• 33 Ounces water, about 1 Liter
• 3 lbs. oxtail cut in 2-inch slices (or use tripe or beef slices)

Directions

1. First, boil the water in a big saucepan.
2. Add the oxtail, then the onions, and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until soft, 35 minutes when using a pressure cooker.
3. When the meat is cooked, throw in the ground peanuts, peanut butter, and annatto seed coloring water and let it simmer for five to seven minutes.
4. Cook for 5 minutes after adding the toasted ground rice.
5. Sauté the garlic in a separate skillet, then toss in the banana blossom, eggplant, and string beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Place the cooked veggies in the big saucepan with the other ingredients.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve immediately with shrimp paste. Cheers!

Conclusion

This Kare-Kare Recipe (Filipino Oxtail Stew) is really simple to make, as you can see from the instructions. Even if you’re not a fan of oxtail I strongly recommend you try it, you’d be surprised. When all these ingredients come together, you’ll have an explosion of different tastes complementing each other in your mouth. If you have any questions about Kare-Kare please let me know down in the comments section, and I’ll reply. 

The simplest Sisig recipe you’ll ever prepare! Sisig is the most renowned Kapampangan dish of all time! Have this quick and straightforward Sisig dish with a grilled pig belly! Crispy and hot, exactly how it should be.

What exactly is Sisig?

Sisig recipe is the most iconic Kapampangan cuisine in the Philippines, and it is attracting increasing popularity across the world. You can find Sisig dishes on the menus of most restaurants and Carinderias, which are small food vendors.

This Sisig Recipe is the modernized version of the Sisig most people know. Sisig, a Kapampangan term, means to eat any sour or unripe fruit with vinegar dressing.

Because of the vinegar and/or calamansi juice, it was historically a highly sour meal. Pork or other meat was not incorporated until much later.

Pork Sisig (Filipino Sizzling Pork Belly)

Crispy pork belly tossed with savory, creamy, and tangy flavors—sisig is the ultimate Filipino comfort food, best served sizzling hot!

Ingredients

• 18oz (about 500g) pork belly

• Water, for boiling

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided

• 1 large onion, chopped (plus more for garnish)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup liver spread (or 2 chicken livers, see note)

• 1 ½ tsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp liquid seasoning (Knorr, Maggi, or Bragg; more to taste)

• 2 Tbsp calamansi juice (or lemon/lime juice, but flavor will differ; more to taste)

• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise

• Chopped green and red chilies (seeds reduced for less heat)

• 1 egg (optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. Boil the Pork Belly:
   Place pork belly in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30–40 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove, drain, and let air dry. Season lightly with salt.

2. Crisp the Pork:
   Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet or preheat oven to 230°C (450°F).
   Pan-fry the pork belly until golden and crispy on all sides, or oven-fry for about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then chop into small pieces.

3. Prepare the Aromatics:
   In a skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat, add the remaining oil. Sauté onions until soft and just beginning to caramelize, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.

4. Chilies and Pork:
   Add the chopped green and red chilies. Cook for a few seconds, then add the crispy pork belly pieces. Stir for 2–3 minutes to heat through.

5. Season and Sauce:
   Add soy sauce, liquid seasoning, liver spread (or chicken liver, see note below), half of the calamansi juice, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and coat the pork evenly.

6. Finish:
   Remove from heat. Fold in the mayonnaise until just mixed. Taste and add more calamansi juice or seasoning if needed.

7. Serve:
   If desired, crack a raw egg on top—the residual heat will gently cook it as you mix.
   Garnish with more chopped onions and serve hot, ideally on a sizzling plate. Enjoy with extra calamansi and seasoning on the side.

Tips & Suggestions

• Leftover pork belly or lechon kawali works perfectly for sisig—simply crisp it up and chop.

• Liver spread: For a more authentic flavor, substitute with 2 pieces of chicken liver. Sauté the livers with calamansi, black pepper, and soy sauce for 2 minutes per side. Mince, then pan-fry until crispy before adding to the sisig.

• Calamansi gives the most authentic flavor, but lemon or lime can be used if unavailable.

• Adjust spice level by using more or fewer chilies and removing seeds as needed.

• Sizzling plate is traditional, but any hot serving dish will work.

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FAQs

How Do You Serve Sisig?

Serve Sisig immediately from the pan. Then garnish with additional raw onions and raw egg to make it extremely velvety (radiant heat will fry the egg, don’t panic!) If feasible, move to a sizzling hot plate. I usually use a cast iron pan that doubles as a serving dish. It kept the heat far longer than a typical steel pan. Serve with rice by itself or with beer or your preferred ice-cold beverage.

What are the storage and shelf-life requirements?

Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. After that, freeze in a sealed container or heavy-duty freezer bags to prolong the shelf life. Thaw completely before cooking on the stove or in the microwave.

Can I use chicken liver paste instead of liver paste?

You may use raw chicken liver instead of liver paste.

To get ready: Season with pepper and a touch of salt before cutting into serving pieces and pan-frying until done but still soft. Avoid overcooking. Shred it with a fork, then put in the remaining sisig components shortly before the spices.

What’s the difference between Traditional and Modern Sisig Recipe?

Sisig was adapted and evolved into what it is now because of the inventive thinking of Lucia Cunanan, a.k.a. “Aling Lucing,” who served it in her Angeles City Carinderia. She devised a means to repurpose the pigs’ heads that would otherwise be discarded by the distribution centers that made food for the American soldiers when they were stationed at Clark Airbase.

It quickly became famous as “pulutan,” or beer food, at this late-night establishment. Later, a competitor, Benedicto Pamintuan, suggested presenting it on a sizzling platter. Not to be outdone, Aling Lucing began to feed her Sisig in the very same fashion.

In Pampanga, it is also commonly served as a side dish with rice. However, as a “pulutan,” it is typically served on a sizzling platter and adorned with a raw egg in other localities.

Nowadays, there are many variants of the original pork Sisig, such as chicken Sisig, tuna Sisig, and squid Sisig, to mention a few. I’ve tasted many types of Sisig from all throughout the country.

More Filipino Recipes:

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Filipino Beef Caldereta

Homemade Beef Tapa Filipino Recipe

Authentic Pork Siopao Asado Recipe

Easy Chicken Tocino Recipe In No Time

Maja Blanca Easy Recipe

Authentic Ensaymada Recipe (Filipino Buns)

Siopao Asado is filled with delicious pork filling and may be found practically anywhere in the country, from bakeshops and street sellers to prominent Filipino restaurants. Siopao, whether made at home or purchased from a store, could be eaten at any time of day or night.

You might confuse Siopao Asado with Vietnamese Banh Bao steamed pork buns, but they are not the same. Although they might look identical, this Filipino Siopao Asado doesn’t use Chinese sausage and quail eggs.

Pork Siopao Asado Recipe

The Meat Stuffing

• Siopao may be filled with various ingredients, but the two most common in Filipino cuisine are the bola-bola and pig Asado, both of which we’ll use in this dish.
• Pork shoulder is simmered till fork-tender and sweet and delicious in a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and star anise. The liquid is thickened with a cornstarch slurry before being used as a sauce for the steamed buns.
• Allow the meat stuffing to cool completely before using it since the leaking steam may split the dough.
• It can be prepared ahead of time to make the process easier. Leave to cool fully before transferring to an airtight container and storing for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
• For added variation, boneless chicken thighs can be used in place of the pork.

Dough for Siopao Asado

• Please be aware that the flour and sugar proportions in the dough preparation are in weight rather than volume (grams vs. cups). Therefore, to achieve exact measurements and a more consistent result, I recommend using a kitchen scale.
• Stir the heated milk, yeast, sugar, and salt in a small basin. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes or until frothy. This procedure is used to “prove” that the yeast has activated.
• Ensure the milk temperature is between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s possible that the yeast won’t activate if the milk isn’t warm enough. If the temperature is higher, the yeast may be killed.
• Stir to combine the flour, remaining sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing basin. Whisk until everything is completely combined.
• To whiten the buns, add the oil and a few drips of lime juice to the flour mixture. Next, fold in the yeast combination until it is completely mixed.
• Knead the dough for approximately 10 to 12 minutes in the bowl, or until it is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. A smooth, wrinkle-free steamed bun may be achieved by properly kneading the dough.
• Turn the dough into a ball, cover it in plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and leave it aside to rise until doubled in size. Based on the room temperature, this will take around 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Assembling the Bun

• Put the dough on a flat and lightly floured surface and roll it out. Next, make a long log out of it and cut it into ten pieces. A scale can also be used to verify uniform size.
• Shape each dough lump into a ball and place it on a baking sheet in a single layer. Leave the balls to rise for another half an hour or until puffy, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Press the dough balls into a 4 to 5-inch flat disk using a roller. To prevent the stuffing from escaping, make sure the sides are thinner than the middle.
• In the center, add a tablespoon or so of shredded pork. To make crimping simpler, push the stuffing away from the edges.
• Take the edges and crimp the dough around the filling. To thoroughly seal the bag, pinch and twist it. Arrange them on a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set them aside for another 10 minutes.
• To make the siopao whiter, add a couple of teaspoons of vinegar to the steaming water.
• Place the dough on a steamer in a single layer, about 1-inch apart, and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Steam the buns on low heat to prevent buckling or inflating.
• Turn the heat off and leave the cover on for 3 to 5 minutes after steaming to avoid the siopao from breaking.
• Take the buns out of the steamer and place them on a plate with the sauce. Careful! It’s possible that the stuffing is too hot!

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List of Ingredients

Asado Filling

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2-star anise
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 lb. of pork butt or shoulder, chopped into large chunks

Siopao Dough

• Sprinkle of lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dry instant yeast
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sugar 100 g
• 3.5 Cup all-purpose flour 500 g
• 260 ml of warm milk (between 105 and 115 F)

Directions

Making the Siopao Asado Stuffing

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté until the onions and garlic are softened.
• Add the meat and heat until gently browned, rotating as required.
• 2 cups of water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and star anise are added to the pan. Toss until everything is evenly distributed. Bring it to a boil, removing any foam that rises to the surface.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is fork-tender. Add extra water in half-cup increments to keep the liquid level at 1 1/2 cups.
• Take out the pork from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and set it aside to cool to the touch. Then, shred the meat with two forks.
• Collect and set aside roughly 1 cup of the braising liquid. Bring the shredded chicken back to a boil in the pot.
• Mix cornstarch and about 1/4 cup of water in a mixing dish. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the cornstarch has dissolved. Toss 50 percent of the cornstarch slurry into the meat in the saucepan to evenly distribute it. Fry for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Leave to cool after removing from pan.
• Stir the remaining 1 cup of braising liquid and the other half of the cornstarch slurry in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. This is the siopao sauce.

Making the Dough

• Mix the milk, yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a mixing basin. Whisk in the sugar until it is completely dissolved. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the combination has foamed up.
• Toss to combine the flour, 100 grams of sugar, baking powder, and vegetable oil in a large mixing basin. Mix thoroughly.
• Throw in a couple of drops of lime juice to the flour mixture, followed by the yeast mixture. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until dough develops. Knead and massage the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky.
• Let to rise in a warm area for about 2 hours or until doubled in size, covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Take the dough out of the bowl, set it on a clean work surface, and roll it into a long log.
• Divide the dough into ten equal portions with a knife, then roll each part into smaller balls. Allow for a half-hour rise by covering the dough with a clean dishtowel.

Putting it all Together

• Put one ball of dough on a clean work surface and roll it out into a 4 to 5-inch circle using a rolling pin, making sure the sides are thinner than the middle.
• In the middle, place roughly a spoonful of the meat filling.
• Grab the dough’s edges, fold around the filling, and twist to secure it completely. Lay the bun on parchment paper or wax paper. Continue with the rest of the dough and stuffing.
• Place the prepared buns on a flat baking sheet in a single layer, cover them with a kitchen towel, and leave to rise for another 10 minutes.
• Arrange buns in a single layer, one inch apart, in a steamer. Toss 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the boiling water (for whiter buns).
• Steam buns for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat. To stop the buns from collapsing, keep the cover on for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Take out of the steamer and top with the Asado sauce.