My Super Easy Beef Caldereta

My Super Easy Beef Caldereta

 I cooked this last night... My version of super easy beef caldereta!

 INGREDIENTS (Only 3-4 ingredients /Serves 2 people /Cooking time <1.5 hours)

1. Mama Sita's Spicy Caldereta powdered mix 50g but only use half (though meron na atang 25g pack nito so you can use that) 

2. Beef brisket, this is 1/3 kilo cut into thumb-thick strips 

3. Potatoes 3-4 medium pcs, cut into medium cubes

4. Green peas 1 can 155g, strained

5. Bell pepper 1 medium, cut into strips (I didn't have any last night but if you have this, use it para mas masarap at mukhang caldereta talaga) 

... What about carrots, you ask? I am starting not to like it in red stews so no carrots here.

STEPS:

• Salt + Pepper the beef, pinch lang

• Heat vegetable oil and fry the beef until after blood shows and then, it browns 

  As you can see from the picture, I used a small pot so I fried my beef in batches. It needs space to fry until brown kasi.

• Put all the browned beef into the same pot and add enough water to submerge the meat. Turn on high and bring to a boil... Then, cover the pot and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer. Check after 25 minutes and add more water as needed. Simmer until the beef is fork-tender.

  Maliit lang ang cut ng beef so best to let it soften sa med-low heat para di pilit ang paglambot nya. You can leave it to simmer covered but check it after 20-25 minutes if you need to add more water.

• Once fork-tender na ang beef, stir in the Mama Sita's spicy caldereta mix, add more water as needed, cover, and let it simmer for 10 more minutes para manuot ang lasa. 

• Add the potatoes, green peas (and bell pepper kung meron) and again, a little water if needed, and let continue to simmer uncovered. I say uncovered because we want the sauce to thicken... Done na when the potatoes are soft in about 15-20 mins.

  IMPORTANT: At this stage, you have to check it more often because after adding the Mama Sita's mix and then, the potatoes, it will thicken faster so you have to stir it more than a few times to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

TASTE IT! DONE! 

Grabe, tamang tama ang timpla ng Mama Sita's spicy caldereta mix. May kagat ng anghang but since we keep adding a little bit of water at different times during cooking, it will not be very spicy when finished. Masarap at tender ang beef! Lasang caldereta talaga. 👍