One of the earlier recipes that I made for The Earth Kitchen was about two years ago and my co-creators and I , at that time, were craving the ultimate Filipino comfort food goodness – it’s kare-kare or pronounced as kar-eh kar-eh. It is a Filipino peanut stew traditionally served with oxtail and, usually, a celebratory dish during fiestas and birthdays. We, for sure, will not be using oxtail in this recipe and this may seem intimidating to make. But the truth is, you can easily turn this into a pantry-staple one pot dish for any day.
This recipe sparked inspiration from the time we were eating dinner in Manila, at an organic restaurant along Bonificio Global City, and had this amazing plant-based version of kare-kare made with young jackfruit as the meat substitute. It was tender and, surprisingly, absorbed really good flavor to the stew. I wanted to bring that idea to the table as soon as we flew back home. Though, using young jackfruit would be a bit of a challenge. Because we often wait until jackfruit is in season and, two, finding it in stores is limited and often times a bit pricier for something that is bought in a can or boxed.
Came along the idea of using king oyster mushrooms. And, let me tell you, it is life changing. And it tastes even better (in my opinion). King oyster mushrooms are accessible and you can find it in any Asian supermarkets and, now, in many main grocery stores. They are super versatile and give an earthy-richness to any stews and broths. They are also meaty out of all the mushroom-families that I’ve tried.
Kare kare is, also, traditionally served with bagoong or pronounced as bagoo-ong. Which is usually made with fermented shrimp or fish and turned into paste form. The flavor of bagoong is very intense and super salty. But is a delicacy often paired with stews, seafood, and even young sour mangoes to contrast with the dish. Kare kare is, almost, never complete without pairing it with bagoong because the stew has a certain sweetness from the peanut broth. While it is not necessary, it is highly recommended and it will make the dish complete.
You can watch our tutorial here on how to make your own vegan bagoong.
I’m all for making ethnic dishes on The Earth Kitchen, most especially, with the dishes I grew up with as a Filipino living on Guam. Kare kare is one of these dishes. By simply doing so, it gives me the appreciation of how rich and colorful our dishes are and turning it into plant-based recipes make it extra special. It gives us the opportunity to let others know that, hey, it’s still possible to keep our culture alive but we don’t have settle with using animal and processed products. This is why I wanted to share this recipe again.
I hope you enjoy and let me know your favorite dish in the comment section below!
Vegan Kare Kare (Filipino Peanut Stew)
Equipment
- 6 or 8 quart soup pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4-5 large king oyster mushrooms (or any mushrooms of choice) roughly chopped
- 2 cups (480g) natural peanut butter crunchy or creamy (whichever you prefer)
- 3 heads baby bok choy rinsed and cut ends
- 3 large eggplants sliced
- 1½ lbs green beans
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ large white or yellow onion chopped
- 4 cups (946ml) low sodium vegetable broth + 1 cup of water
- 1 tbsp achuete powder (annatto powder)
- 1½ tbsp brown cane sugar
- salt & pepper
- vegan bagoong for serving
Instructions
PREP THE VEGETABLES
- In a pot of boiling water, boil the green beans for about 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat. Strain off from the boiling water and shock in an ice bath until ready to use. This will help the green beans retain its crunch when it's cooked off in a broth.
- Line sliced eggplant on a tray, single layered, and generously season salt onto the eggplants. Place a dry paper towel (or two) on top of the eggplant, covering all slices. Leave it alone for about 30 minutes to allow the waters to release and absorb on the paper towel. This will help strip off the bitterness from the eggplant and, also, keep it from producing excess liquids into the stew. Once water has released, place the eggplant on a strainer and rinse off the salt thoroughly. Strain any excess liquids and set aside until it is ready for use.
FOR THE KARE KARE
- Coat 1-2 tbsp of cooking oil on a soup pot or dutch oven. Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Allow the mushrooms to sweat for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and mix it in with achuete (annatto) powder. Mix until the achuete powder is dissolved into the liquids. Don't worry if it would look a little clumpy, it will fully dissolve as the broth simmers. Add the eggplant. Cover pot with a lid and allow the mushrooms and eggplant to tenderize and simmer into the broth for about 10 minutes.
- After your broth has simmered for 10 minutes, add in the peanut butter and mix until it has dissolved into the broth. Season with salt, pepper, and add the sugar. Leave the stew to simmer for another 5-7 minutes. If the broth has thickened, add a splash of water. You may season the stew and adjust the consistency to your liking as you go along.
- You will know the stew is ready when the eggplant is nice and tender. Turn the heat down to a low and add in the bok choy and green beans. Mix the greens into the broth and turn off heat. Cover with a lid to allow the bok choy to steam. Let it rest for 2-3 minutes with the lid covered and it is ready to serve.
- Best served with rice and a tablespoon (or more) with vegan bagoong.