at a lost for werds…

Pares is actually beef mami without the noodles. According to Jonas Mami House, which claims to have ‘invented’ pares, their desire to offer rice fares led them to use their beef in broth for mami and pair it with rice. And we all know where beef mami originated from right? (Ma Mon Luk!) With this information I tried making my own pares based on beef mami recipes found in most Filipino cookbooks.

Recipe after the break

PARES RECIPE:

Paminta (Crushed Pepper)
Bawang (Garlic)
Luya (Ginger)
Toyo (Soy Sauce)
Star Anise
Brown Sugar
Beef Shank
Sesame Oil (optional)

Heat oil then add garlic, ginger and crushed pepper and stir for about 30 seconds. Whenever I use ginger in my dishes I normally cut it bigger than normal since I hate biting into it but I love the flavor it adds. Add in beef and cook each side for 5 minutes. Add water to cover half of beef (about a cup or two) and boil til tender. Add soy sauce (not more than 1 cup), brown sugar (also around 1 cup), and star anise (2-4 pieces will do). Whenever you wish to adjust the saltiness of the broth, use salt instead of soy sauce. Sesame oil can be added to enhance flavor. Let broth simmer for at least 15minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.

I like to use brown sugar whenever I cook instead of the processed white sugar since it has more flavor. Portions are more of a guide and adjustments are encouraged to fit your taste. To complete the dish, brown some crushed garlic and top your rice with it. Enjoy!