Yesterday, we cooked one of our special dishes. Beef porridge is an old time favorite that we normally serve for afternoon snacks when we have house guests. It's always a hit. But sometimes, we cook beef porridge for our lunch and dinner. The main ingredient is glutinous rice which is cooked in water until tender. The beef is also cooked in a pressure cooker until tender. The secret is in the sauteeing, the garlic is what gives it flavor. And for the garnishing, or should I say side dish, fried tofu with dip of vinegar and soy sauce. So wonderful to the taste.
Kare-kare is a native dish from the Philippines. The main ingredients are ox tail and ox leg. Some include tripe and innards but we don't relish those beef parts. The style of cooking is out of the ordinary because you have to grind the peanut. And then you fry (without oil) rice on a pan until it is brown. When done, you grind the browned rice into powder. But beforehand, you need to have the ox tail tenderized. Just mix the ingredients and you already have Kare-kare. That simple. You can add broccoli if you prefer it over the usual bok choy (Chinese lettuce). And the side dish for more flavor is the shrimp paste.