FoodToker Newt tries making kare-kare: ‘I’m ready to be cooked in the comments’

Screenshots from Newt’s Kare-Kare TikTok video (@newt)

Just like with adobo, sinigang, lumpia, and sisig, there’s a whole pack of defenders for the famous kare-kare. The crowd-favorite Filipino dish even scored a spot in Taste Atlas’ 2022 roster of best stews in the world, receiving a review of 4.5 stars out of 5 and ranking at the 52nd spot on the top 100 list.

But while the thick and nutty dish—which consists of simmered ox tail, vegetables, beef tripe, pork cuts, and more—is a usual request mainly in special occasions or intimate family gatherings, it’s not exactly beginner-friendly.

A neophyte in the kitchen would likely see this as that dish before the final boss in the battle of recipes. But it’s always worth the patience and effort, so people still like trying their hand at it. One of them is food content creator Newt.

@newtKare Kare 🥜🐂 🍆 How did I do? I’m prepared to be cooked in the comments 💀♬ original sound – newt

Newton Nguyen, also known as milktpapi to his followers, took the challenge of making the Filipino dish on his latest TikTok video posted on Aug. 28.

“Huwag kang mag-alala (Don’t worry), kuya Newt’s got you,” he says in the voice-over shortly before a self-aware giggle. He tells his audience about what he describes as a “low-key” dish, and begins to sauté the garlic and onions. He continues the process until he remembers a missing ingredient and creates toasted rice powder from scratch. More vegetables get thrown into the pot.

The result?

Before unveiling the final creation, Newt mentions that he previously posted a photo of his kare-kare on Instagram Stories, but viewers were quick to notice that the sauce was runny. So, he added more peanut butter—and, as you can see, he’s using a classic Filipino brand.

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“I’m prepared to be cooked in the comments,” Newt wrote in the caption with a skull emoji. So far, the general consensus is pretty warm—with people just sending suggestions and looking for the dish’s sidekick bagoong—unlike in his previous semi-controversial sinigang video.

But what’s your personal verdict on kare-kare (Newt’s version) through the screen?