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Kare-Kare With Beans, Baby Bok Choy, And Eggplant

Kare-Kare With Beans, Baby Bok Choy, And Eggplant reads richness 8.2, umami 7.3 and nutty 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Filipino main, about 7 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.1 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 9.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 8.2 · Umami 7.3 · Nutty 4.6 · Earthy 4.0 · Sweetness 3.5 · Allium 3.5 · Salinity 3.3 · Warm Spice 2.9 · Sourness 2.5 · Fruity 2.2 · Citrus 2.0 · Floral 1.9 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 1.0

What's in it (20)

• 1/4 cup achiote (annatto) seeds
• 1/4 cup black peppercorns
• 1/3 cup dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil, divided
• 5 pounds oxtails
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 medium onions, 1 coarsely chopped, 1 thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chopped garlic chives or 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
• 4 medium baby bok choy, quartered
• 1 medium Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium taro root, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
• 1 pound Chinese long beans or green beans, trimmed, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• Crushed unsalted, roasted peanuts, sliced red chile, and shrimp paste (for serving)
• A 12-inch square of cheesecloth

Time & effort: about 7 hr 30 min (30 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 187.9 kcal, 14.1 g protein, 10.7 g fat, 8.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

1. Bundle achiote seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie closed with kitchen twine; set sachet aside.
2. Preheat oven to 225°F. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium-high. Season oxtails generously with salt and pepper. Cook half of oxtails until browned all over, 8-12 minutes; transfer to a platter. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to pot; cook remaining oxtails. Pour off all but 3 Tbsp. fat from pot. (If pot is scorched, clean and start with 3 Tbsp. fresh oil.)
3. Return pot to medium-high heat. Cook chopped onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, stirring often, until lightly browned and very soft, 12-15 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 2 quarts water and reserved sachet. Bring to a vigorous boil; cook 1 minute. Return oxtails to pot (add water if needed to just cover). Reduce heat so liquid is simmering gently, cover, and transfer to oven. Braise, checking every 2 hours and adding more water if needed to keep oxtails barely submerged, until meat is just about falling off the bone, 6-8 hours. Let cool. Skim off fat; discard. (Or, ideally, chill overnight and scrape off fat before proceeding.)
4. Remove oxtails from pot; pull meat from bones. Discard bones (or save some meaty bones for serving). Strain braising liquid into a large bowl. You should have 6-8 cups; simmer to reduce further or add water if needed. Discard solids.
5. Clean pot and heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil over medium. Cook sliced onion, garlic, and garlic chives, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add bok choy, eggplant, taro (if using), and long beans; cook, stirring often, until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add braising liquid and bring to a simmer; season with salt. Cook until vegetables are halfway tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in peanut butter to dissolve, then add meat. Cook just until meat is heated through, vegetables are tender, and flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. Season with more salt if needed.
6. Divide kare-kare among bowls; top with peanuts and red chile. Serve with shrimp paste.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Wild Mushroom and Leek Galette — French
• Coda alla Vaccinara — Italian · Rome
• Beef and Chickpea Harissa Stew — Middle Eastern
• Chakhchoukha — Algerian
• Ndizi Nyama (Green Banana and Beef Stew) — Tanzanian

Keep reading: what richness, umami, nutty mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.