Seafood Kare Kare
A delightful Filipino seafood stew featuring a rich peanut sauce and a medley of fresh seafood and vegetables.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 500kcal
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1 pound large shrimp with shells Fresh is best but frozen is acceptable.
- 1 pound blue crab Choose large crabs for best flavor.
Vegetables
- 1 medium eggplant Cut into chunky pieces.
- 1 cup string beans Also known as sitaw, cut into lengths.
- 1 cup banana blossom Sliced.
- 2 cups bok choy Add at the end to prevent overcooking.
Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter Use what you have on hand.
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce Or use bagoong for an authentic flavor.
- 1 cup annatto water For color, can substitute turmeric or paprika.
- 3 cloves garlic Minced.
- 1 medium onion Chopped.
Instructions
Preparation
- Clean and prep the seafood, ensuring to devein the shrimp and scrub the crab shells.
- Slice the vegetables into chunky pieces as described.
Cooking Peanut Sauce
- In a big pot, sauté minced garlic and chopped onion until golden and fragrant.
- Stir in the peanut butter and annatto water, mixing until well combined.
- Add fish sauce and allow the sauce to simmer, whisking to avoid clumps.
- Adjust thickness with water or shrimp stock as necessary.
Cooking Seafood and Vegetables
- Add the harder vegetables (eggplant and string beans) to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add bok choy last and blanch for just a minute.
- Add the seafood, cooking just until they are pink and tender.
Serving
- Serve the seafood kare kare with garlic rice and bagoong on the side.
- Provide bowls for discarded shells and enjoy family-style.
Notes
Don't stress about overcooking the seafood; add it in last and simmer just until cooked. The sauce can be smoothed with a whisk or blender if lumpy. Making extra allows flavors to improve overnight.