Filipino Oxtail and Peanut Stew with Vegetables

Skim the broth. Put the oxtail, water, quartered onion, crushed garlic, bay leaves and salt into the casserole and bring to the boil. Skim off the grey foam that rises to the surface for about 10 minutes, using a large spoon. This removes cloudy impurities so the finished broth stays clear and clean-tasting.

Simmer until tender. Partly cover the casserole and simmer gently for 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender and coming away from the bone. Oxtail is rich in collagen, which slowly melts into the broth over the long, slow cooking to give it a silky body. Keep the heat low so the liquid barely bubbles; a hard boil will toughen the meat instead of softening it.

Strain and skim. Lift the oxtail out of the pot and strain the broth, skimming off as much fat as you can. For the cleanest result, chill the broth first so the fat sets in a solid layer you can simply lift away. Measure out 1 litre of the strained broth for the sauce.

Toast the rice flour. Toast the rice flour in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns light golden and smells nutty. Toasting develops flavour and helps the flour thicken the sauce smoothly later on. Set it aside once it has coloured evenly.

Blanch the vegetables. Bring 2cm of the reserved broth to a simmer in a saucepan and cook the vegetables one at a time: aubergine for 4-5 minutes, beans for 3 minutes, and pak choi for just 1-2 minutes. Lift each one out as soon as it is just tender so the colours stay bright, returning the cooking broth to the rest. Cooking them separately keeps every vegetable at its own perfect doneness rather than overcooking the quickest ones.

Build the peanut sauce. Wipe out the casserole, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the annatto for 30 seconds to bloom its colour, then whisk in the 1 litre of broth, peanut butter, fish sauce and toasted rice flour until smooth. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; the rice flour and peanut butter together give kare-kare its characteristic clinging texture.

Reheat the oxtail. Return the oxtail to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes so it heats right through and soaks up the peanut flavour. Spoon the sauce over occasionally so every piece is evenly coated.

Serve. Arrange the warm vegetables over the oxtail, scatter with crushed peanuts and bring to the table with rice and the shrimp paste on the side for everyone to add their own spoonful. The salty, pungent shrimp paste is what cuts through the rich peanut sauce, so let each diner season to taste.