Vietnamese Bò Kho Recipe
Bò kho is a rich, spicy Vietnamese stew featuring braised beef, carrots, onions, and a variety of spices. The dish is celebrated for its tender, flavorful beef, which is marinated and slow cooked to fully absorb the stew's aromatic spices.
Ingredients
For the beef:
- Beef shank, cubed – 1 lb.
- Beef chuck, cubed – 1 lb.
- Garlic, minced- 3 cloves
- Ginger, minced – 3 tbsp
- Fish sauce – 4 tbsp
- Five spice powder – 2 tbsp
- Cinnamon – ½ tsp
- Brown sugar- 1 ½ tsp
For the stew:
- Oil – 3 tbsp
- Garlic, minced – 6 cloves
- Onion, thinly sliced – 1
- Tomato Paste- 4 tbsp
- Lemongrass, cut into 2-inch pieces – 1 stalk
- Lemongrass, minced – 1 stalk
- Star anise – 2
- Carrots, large, cut into chunks – 5
- Daikon, cut into chunks – ½
- Water – 5 cup
- Beef broth – 3 cup
- Coconut Water – 2 cup
- Black pepper – 1 tsp
- Chili powder – 1 tsp
- Paprika – 1 tsp
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Chili oil – 3 tbsp
For the garnish:
- Cilantro leaves, chopped – ¼ cup
- Thai basil or mint leaves – ½ cup
- Onion, thinly sliced – ½ cup
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare and marinate your beef. After removing the meat from the bone and chopping it into 1-inch chunks, combine the meat with garlic, ginger, five spice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and five spice. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare your large pot or Dutch oven. On high heat, add 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the lemongrass to the oil and stir together, allowing it to infuse for 1 minute. Then add minced lemongrass and garlic, cooking for 1 more minute.
- Add the garlic and thinly sliced onions to the pot, along with the ginger. Sautee until translucent and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the marinated beef and cook on both sides, for about 2-3 minutes, making sure to get a seat on both sides. Mix in tomato paste.
- Still on high heat, add in the beef broth, water, coconut water, star anise, ground black pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes before reducing heat to a simmer.
- After 20 minutes, add in the remainder of your ingredients for the stew including carrots, daikon, and seasonings.
- Simmer the stew for another 1-1.5 hours, checking every 20-30 minutes.
- Once 1.5 hours have passed, check for tenderness and flavoring. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- When serving, skim the stew for any impurities and try to fish out any large star anise or lemongrass pieces.
- Serve with your choice of rice, rice noodle, or egg noodles. Garnish with cilantro, raw onion, and Thai basil, with lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 42gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 1741mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7g
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