Veggiecircle Recipe: Kare-Kare with bagoong

*First Posted 12/30/12

Happy Holidays!

Have you been thinking of what to cook for the Christmas and New Year Holidays? Why not try a Filipino dish that is perfect for the whole family.

So we are going to make a vegetarian version of it and so here's How to Cook Vegetarian Kare Kare




INGREDIENTS:
· 1/4 cup peanut oil
· 1/2 kilo of Vegetarian Meat Gluten
· 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
· 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
· 1 tomato, chopped
· 1-1/4 cups water
· Salt to taste
· 2 tablespoons annatto oil
· 3 tablespoons peanut butter mixed with 1/2 cup hot tap water

Bagoong:

• Tofu


• Black Beans

PROCEDURE:
Heat a large frying pan and add 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil.

Medium Fry Gluten well on both sides in 2 or 3 batches. Place them in a 6-quart heavy stove-top covered casserole.

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and blanch the gluten.
Simply boil it for a few minutes, drain, and cool. Cut the gluten into strips 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long.

Add the remaining peanut oil to the frying pan and saute the onion and garlic. Add gluten along with the tomato,  water, salt, and annatto oil. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.

Simmer partially covered for another 1-1/2 hours, stirring now and then. At the beginning of the last hour of cooking, add the peanut butter mixture and the Tabasco. Taste and add more Tabasco and salt if needed. If all is not very tender, continue to cook a bit longer.

Bagoong:

Blend Tofu and Black Beans

Optional: you can substitute shitake mushrooms

Best serve with hot rice.