Caldereta means “stew” in Spanish and translated to “Kaldereta” in Filipino. Traditionally, kaldereta is a goat stew cooked with liver paste, tomato sauce, and other spices. But, Filipinos found a way to make the kaldereta in many variants. Some, make it with pork, chicken, or fish. This is also a favorite dish to put on the table during fiestas and weddings.
Despite not having the liver paste included in the recipe, it did not take away the distinct aroma of Filipino kaldereta. Feel free to add or leave out some of the ingredients, if you wish.
Caldereta especially beef is always best when paired with white rice. But, if you’re not a fan of white rice, you can always add more potatoes and other vegetables if you prefer it that way.
- 1 lb beef, cut in chunks
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup potato, chopped
- 1 cup green peas
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 6 oz. tomato paste (use half can only)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium green pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
- 4 cubes beef bouillon
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- a pinch or two chili powder
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
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Heat vegetable oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic.
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Add beef and mix until brown. Cover for 5 minutes.
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Remove cover after 5 minutes. Add the water. Cover and cook for an hour.
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Remove cover and stir a little bit to make sure the beef did not stick in the pot. Add bouillon, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Mix well to blend, then add carrots, potato, and green peas. Mix and cover.
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Reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 10 minutes. Be sure that it won’t dry out. Add more tomato sauce or a little bit of water if needed.
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Remove cover. Mix and add brown sugar and sprinkle a pinch or two of chili powder. Mix to blend. Add the bell peppers and cook for additional 5 minutes.
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After 5 minutes, it should be ready to serve. Serve with rice.
Watch the video recipe:
