With anything remotely Filipino bound to go viral online, food shows and content creators have often tried to put their spin on local cuisine — often to disastrous results.
That said, there are the chosen few, such as Joshua Weissman and more recently, Andy Hearnden, who have managed to create dishes that stay faithful to Filipino sensibilities. And now, TikTok fans can add Lennard Yeong, known online as lennardy, to the list.
The Miele in-house chef, usually known for his precise takes on dishes, took to the challenge of making dishes he’s never cooked before in a new series. First on the list? The Philippines’ decadent kare kare, a rich oxtail stew with vegetables such as string beans, bok choy, and banana blossom, served with a thick peanut sauce and bagoong, a fermented shrimp paste on the side.
While kare kare is traditionally made with ground peanuts and ground toasted rice to thicken the sauce, Lennard goes the modern-day route with creamy unsweetened peanut butter and fine peanut powder, an acceptable version for people who don’t have the time to cook all day.
He sears the oxtail for flavor and color, later sauteing garlic and onion, before putting back the meat and adding water and fish sauce.
The chef adds the peanut butter mix then the vegetables to simmer, and then sprinkles a dash of annatto powder for color and a peppery touch.
While it simmers, he adds the bagoong — usually served on the side — in the mixture to give it a salty flavor.
“I really liked it, it’s rich, creamy, and very tasty, plus oxtail takes to a heavier sauce like this well,” he said of the dish.
Content creators, such as James Beard awardee Erwan Heussaff, praised the Singaporean chef’s version.
“Approved! For more texture in the sauce when you make it again, try ground toasted rice,” he recommended.
“OMG SLAY KING! We have to make this together,” food content creator Abi Marquez wrote.
“Thanks for featuring kare kare, it’s one of my favorite dishes,” one fan said.
