This is how I cook Pork Kare kare using pata. The recipe was simplified by using only the necessary ingredients. I also made sure to make the process as easy as possible. This results to a tender, tasty, and delicious kare kare dish.
Tips on How to Cook Pork Kare Kare
The color of Kare-kare usually comes out orangey when done. An ingredient known as atsuete is attributed in providing color to the dish. The first thing that I did was to soak the atsuete seeds in warm water and stirred until color is extracted from it. This ingredient is also known as annatto. It also comes in powder and paste form.
The meat is partially boiled in this recipe in order to remove the impurities. This step is recommended if pata is used. Other cuts of pork that can be used in cooking pork kare-kare are liempo, kasim, and pigue. Pre-boiling is not needed when using these cuts of meat.
This version of kare-kare requires the pata to be sautéed. Cooking oil is needed for this reason. I’m explicitly saying this because you might have tried the very first recipe that I shared that makes use of oxtail. It did not require the oxtails to be sautéed. You might want to try the second recipe of oxtail kare-kare that we shared if you want a different approach.
It is important to tenderize the meat when making pork kare-kare. It has to be tender enough to be chewed easily. Going the extra mile by making it fall-off-the-bone tender is a good idea.
Enjoy this delicious dish with bagoong almang. I suggest monitoring your rice consumption, as it can be very tempting to consume more cups of rice than the usual with this dish on the table. Happy cooking!
Try this Pork Kare kare recipe. Let me know what you think.
Pork Kare Kare Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. pata pork hock
- 1 piece Knorr Pork Cube
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 bunches baby bok choy or pechay
- 12 pieces snake beans sitaw, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 pieces eggplant sliced
- 1/4 cup achiote atsuete seeds
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 piece onion minced
- 3 1/2 quarts water
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup bagoong alamang cooked
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup warm water and atsuete. Soak for 10 minutes.Extract the color from the seeds by stirring using a spoon. Filter the seeds out using a kitchen strainer, set the atsuete water aside, we will use it later.
- Boil 2 quarts water in a cooking pot. Add pata. Cover and continue to boil in medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Remove the boiled pata from the pot. Throw away the water used.
- Heat oil in a cooking pot.
- Saute garlic and onion once the oil is hot. Cook until onion starts to soften.
- Add boiled pork hocks (pata). Saute for 2 minutes.
- Pour 1 1/2 quart water. Let boil. Cover the pot and continue to cook between low to medium heat for 60 minutes or until the pata becomes tender. Add more water if needed.
- Add Knorr Pork Cube. Stir.
- Add peanut butter into the pot and pour atsuete water. Stir. Continue to cook in medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Combine 1/2 cup water with cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch completely dissolves. Pour mixture into the pot. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit.
- Season with ground black pepper and salt.
- Add sitaw and talong. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add bok choy. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Tranfer to a serving bowl. Serve with bagoong alamang. Share and enjoy!
Mary Ann says
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I am wondering how you calculate the nutrition facts. What is the formula?
Vanjo Merano says
I am using a software that interacts with a system that calculates the nutrition information based on the ingredient and quantity. This was not computed manually.
thea says
I’m going to try this tomorrow. But my mom wasn’t able to buy atsuete. What can I use as an alternative? thank you and God bless.