Name: Seafood Kare-Kare Luglug
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8 cups water; 1 pack rice noodles (luglug); ice cold water; 1 cup puso ng saging; 1 cup sitaw; 1 cup eggplant; 1 bunch pechay tagalog; ¼ kg manila clams (halaan); ¼ kg squid; ½ cup prawns; ¼ cup atsuete seeds; 1 cup fried tofu; 1 pc ginger; 1 pc luyang dilaw (turmeric); 6 pcs garlic clove; 4 pcs red onion (sibuyas na tagalog); 1 pcs lemongrass; 1 tbsp bagoong alamang; ½ cup dried hibe; ¾ cup toasted peanuts; ¼ cup toasted rice; 2 tbsp atsuete oil; Atsuete water from boiling the vegetables and seafood; Shrimp shells and heads; 1 can coconut milk; 1 tbsp sugar; salt to taste

1

Bring water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Blanche the rice noodles until soft and remove from water.

2

Boil the puso ng saging in the same water until just cooked and shock in ice water. Repeat for sitaw, eggplant, and pechay tagalog. Set aside.

3

In the same water, boil manila clams until opened. Remove from water. Repeat with squid and prawns. Remove from water.

4

Boil atsuete seeds in the water until an orange color develops. Strain and return to pot. Set aside.

Base

5

In a blender / food processor / mortar & pestle, combine all the ingredients and grind into a paste. If the mixture needs more liquid to turn into a paste, add the water from soaking the hibe.

Soup

6

Pour shrimp shells and head into the pot of atsuete water. Boil and crush the shrimp heads for about 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Assembly

7

In a large pot, saute the paste in atsuete oil over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes to release the fragrance and deepen flavor, stirring constantly.

8

Add the broth and boil for about 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and sugar. Season with salt and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

9

Add the fried tofu pieces. Simmer for a few minutes to allow them to soak the flavor. Add the shrimp and boil until just cooked. Turn off heat and add back the clams and squid. Place everything in a bowl and serve.