Vietnamese · Mains
Bo Kho (Vietnamese Braised Beef Stew)
Bo kho is a delicious Vietnamese pot-roasted beef stew, fragrant with lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon. When the meat is fork tender, carrots are added to complete the dish. If you wish, include turnips or daikon radish or potatoes. Serve it with rice, rice noodles or a freshly baked baguette.
Ingredients
Serves 4- 2 tbspVietnamese fish sauce
- 1 tbspbrown sugar
- 2 tbspgrated fresh ginger
- 2 tspChinese 5-spice powder
- ½ tspblack pepper
- 3 lbbeef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbspvegetable oil
- 6 largeshallots or 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cupchopped tomato, fresh or canned
- 2 tbspgrated fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbspfinely chopped lemongrass, tender center only
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ½ tspannatto powder (optional)
- 4star anise pods
- 1(2-inch) cinnamon stick, or substitute cassia bark
- 1or 2 Serrano or Thai chiles, stem on, split lengthwise
- 11 lbmedium carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
- ½ cupthinly sliced scallions
- 1 cupcilantro sprigs, for garnish
- ½ cupmint leaves, for garnish
- ½ cupsmall basil leaves, preferably Thai, for garnish
Method
- 01
Make the marinade: Stir together fish sauce, sugar, ginger, 5-spice powder and pepper.
- 02
Put beef in a large bowl, add marinade and massage into meat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time permits (may be wrapped and refrigerated overnight if desired).
- 03
Put oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry the beef cubes in small batches until nicely browned. When all beef is browned, return chunks to pot. Add shallots, stir to combine and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
- 04
Add tomato, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, salt and annatto, if using, and stir well to coat, then add star anise, cinnamon and chile. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
- 05
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- 06
Add carrots to pot and cook 15 minutes more. Skim fat from surface of broth as necessary.
- 07
To serve, ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, mint and basil.