Crispy Pork Kare-Kare Recipe 🥘🐷
Description:
Crispy Pork Kare-Kare is a beloved Filipino dish that blends the nutty richness of peanut sauce, the freshness of vegetables, and the crunch of golden fried pork belly. Served with bagoong and steamed rice, this dish is perfect for family feasts and celebrations.
Ingredients:
For the Crispy Pork Belly:
- 1 kg pork belly (slab, skin on)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- Water (enough to cover pork for boiling)
- Oil, for deep frying
For the Kare-Kare Peanut Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons annatto seeds (or 1 tbsp annatto powder)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup peanut butter (or ground roasted peanuts)
- ¼ cup toasted rice flour (for thickening)
- 4 cups pork broth (from boiling the pork belly)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Vegetables:
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced
- 1 bundle sitaw (long beans), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 bunch pechay (bok choy), separated into leaves
- 1 banana heart (optional, sliced and cleaned well)
For Serving:
- Steamed white rice
- Bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp paste), sautéed
Instructions:
1.Boil pork belly in a pot with water, salt, peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves until tender, about 1 to 1.5 hours.Remove and let cool completely.
2.Pat pork belly dry and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to dry out the skin for crispier results.
3.Heat oil in a deep pan and fry pork belly until skin is golden and crispy.Remove and slice into serving pieces.Set aside.
4.Soak annatto seeds in warm water until the color is released.Strain and set aside.If using annatto powder, dissolve in warm water.
5.In another pan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.Add the annatto water for color.
6.Stir in peanut butter and mix well until smooth.Pour in pork broth gradually while stirring to avoid lumps.
7.Add toasted rice flour slurry (mixed with a little water) to thicken the sauce.Season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper.Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
8.Blanch vegetables (eggplant, sitaw, and pechay) in boiling water until just tender, then drain.
9.Assemble by arranging vegetables and crispy pork belly on a serving platter.Pour the peanut sauce over and serve hot.
10.Serve with steamed rice and bagoong alamang on the side for best flavor.
Time + Yield:
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6