Vera Custodio Cooks: Kare-Kare

Vera Custodio, from my upcoming novel, Knowing Vera , cooks a peanut-flavored meat and vegetable stew for her mother's homecoming. Most of the ingredients are found easily, except for the key one, bagoong [fermented salty shrimp paste]. If you're in Silicon Valley, Marina Foods has jarred "Mother's Best Ginisang Bagoong" in three flavors, Classic, Spicy, or Sweet. While you're there, grab a couple cans of Calamansi Juice Drink, and have it with the Kare-Kare.


1-1/2 pound beef cross-cut hind sha...