Kare-kare, Vegan
 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 banana blossom bud
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and minced
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 eggplants, sliced
  • 1 /2 cup vegetable broth or more to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons achuete or annato powder, fully dissolved in 2 cups water
  • 1 cup ground toasted peanuts. Peanut butter is okay alternative.
  • ½ cup ground toasted white rice, mixed in 1 cup water (make sure there are no lumps in the mixture)
  • 1 small bunch long beans, cut to 2-inch slices, ends removed
  • 6 pieces dried snow fungus, soaked in water
  • 1 bundle bokchoy, washed and bottom sliced off
  • 3-6 tablespoons fermented black bean sauce (as condiment)
Instructions
  1. Peel outer layers of banana blossom until you reach the pale pink, tender bud. Discard outer layers and yellow pistils or use as decor for plating. Have a large bowl of salt water nearby. Oil your knife and cutting board to prevent sap from sticking. Cut off stem and slice bud in half lengthwise. Cut in chunks and immediately submerge the banana blossom in salt water. Soak for at least 10 minutes. Discard water and rinse thoroughly.
  2. In a large pot, saute garlic with oil until fragrant. Follow with onions.
  3. Add banana blossom, eggplant, water, vegetable broth, and achuete mixture. Mix and simmer until eggplant and banana blossom are tender.
  4. Mix in ground peanuts and rice mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. If sauce gets too thick, add more water one cup at a time until consistency is creamy.
  5. Adjust seasoning by adding more vegetable broth or ground peanuts to taste.
  6. Add long beans, snow fungus, and bok choy. Put to a boil and turn off heat.
  7. Serve hot preferrably with rice and black bean sauce on the side.
Notes
On toasting and grinding the peanuts and rice, toast rice and peanuts on a pan over medium heat. Constantly stir for about 15 minutes or until rice and peanuts have turned fully light brown. Pulverize using a food processor or high speed blender.

You could use peanut butter instead of toasted peanuts and rice. Just make sure the peanut butter is mainly peanuts and water.

You could find snow fungus at most Asian grocery stores.
Recipe by ASTIG Vegan at https://www.astigvegan.com/?p=5949