Seafood kare-kare keeps the peanut-rich comfort of the classic dish while using shrimp, crab, mussels, and squid for a festive pot.
55 minutes · Serves 4
Ingredients for Seafood Kare Kare
1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned
2 crabs, steamed
1/2 lb mussels, boiled in 3/4 cup water, liquid reserved
1 squid, cleaned
8 string beans, tied in knots
1 banana heart, sliced
2 cups coconut cream
5 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons annatto powder, diluted in 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons shrimp paste
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
Water, as needed
6 tablespoons cooking oil
How to cook Seafood Kare Kare
1.Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a pot. Blanch the string beans and banana heart for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer them to ice water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2.Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the shrimp for 2 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.
3.In the same pan, fry the squid for 2 minutes per side only, then remove so it stays tender. Fry the steamed crabs for about 2 1/2 minutes per side, adding a little oil if the pan gets dry, then set aside.
4.Add the mussels to the same pan and stir-fry for about 4 minutes total. Pour in the reserved mussel liquid and scrape the browned seafood bits from the pan into the liquid. Remove the mussels and save the liquid separately.
5.In a clay pot or regular pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion until the onion softens.
6.Pour in the coconut cream and bring it to a gentle boil. Add the reserved seafood liquid, then stir in the peanut butter until fully dissolved.
7.Season with fish sauce, then stir in the diluted annatto. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and colored.
8.Arrange the blanched vegetables and cooked seafood in the sauce, warming them briefly if needed. Top or serve with shrimp paste on the side.
