Filipino oxtail stew in peanut sauce (Kare-kare)

1. Bring the oxtail to the boil in the water, skim, then cover and simmer gently for 2½-3 hours until the meat is tender. Lift out the meat and set aside 1 litre of the stock.

2. Steep the annatto seeds in 3 tablespoons of hot oil for 2-3 minutes until the oil turns bright orange, then remove the seeds.

3. Toast the peanuts and grind finely; toast the rice flour in a dry frying pan until pale brown.

4. In a pan fry the chopped onion and garlic in the annatto oil, add the meat and the reserved stock, then stir in the ground peanuts and the rice flour mixed smooth with a little water; cook for 10 minutes until the sauce is thick and orange, and season with salt.

5. Cut the aubergines into large pieces and the green beans into 5 cm lengths; blanch them separately with the bok choy in salted water for 3-4 minutes, then arrange on top of the stew.

6. Serve with rice and the shrimp paste (bagoong) in a small bowl – everyone seasons their own plate with it.

Tip: A classic of the Filipino festive table. The sauce itself is deliberately lightly salted, because the strong, salty shrimp paste provides the final seasoning. Oxtail also becomes tender in 50-60 minutes in a pressure cooker.