Kare-Kare

Kare-kare is a beloved Filipino stew of oxtail and vegetables — eggplant, string beans, banana heart and bok choy — simmered in a thick, savoury peanut sauce tinted golden-orange with annatto. It is traditionally served with bagoong, a pungent fermented shrimp paste that cuts through the richness.

Thickened with ground peanuts and toasted rice, the sauce clings to every piece of tender meat. It appears at fiestas and Sunday family lunches, ladled over steaming white rice.

Food historians link kare-kare to the culinary crossroads of old Manila, where Malay, Chinese and Spanish influences met. Some trace its peanut base to the Kapampangan region, long regarded as the country's culinary heartland.

The dish is festive food, reserved for gatherings and celebrations. The ritual of stirring in a spoonful of shrimp paste at the table is part of the experience, balancing the sweet, nutty sauce with salty depth.