Philippine Oxtail and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

1.5 kg Oxtail, cut into 2 cm lengths

1/4 cup Lard

2 tablespoons Annatto seeds or

1 tablespoon of paprika combined with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

4 cloves Garlic, crushed

2 medium Onion, finely sliced

1.5 liters Water

1 Bay Leaf

1 tablespoon Soy sauce

2 tablespoons Fish sauce

2 Turnips, chopped

2 cups Sliced green beans

2 slender Eggplants (aubergines), sliced

2 Large sweet potatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Short or long grain rice

1/2 cup Unsalted raw peanuts

Cooking Instructions:

Place the oxtail pieces into a large heatproof bowl, cover with salted boiling water and leave to stand for 5 minutes, remove and pat dry. Heat the lard in a large frying pan, add the annatto seeds and cook over medium heat until the lard turns red. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and onion mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Heat a large deep pan, add the meat in batches and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until brown on both sides. Return all the meat to the pan and add the onion and garlic mixture, water, bay leaf, soy sauce and fish sauce. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add the vegetables and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until tender. Preheat the oven to moderate 180oC. Spread the rice on an oven tray and roast for 15 minutes or until golden. Spread the peanuts on an oven tray and roast for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, cool slightly and then process both in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sift the mixture to remove any large pieces, then add it to the stew and stir until the sauce thickens. Serve.

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