Bò Kho
Bò Khô, or Kho, in Vietnamese literally means "stewed beef". Bò is Cow or Beef, Khô is to braise, stew or simmer.
This dish has several layers of flavor that could remind you of a traditional western beef stew, but with the added noted of anise, lemongrass and ginger rising above the familiar beefy flavor.
Its relative simplicity to make and the rewarding smells and flavors make this stew one of the most rewarding stews there is.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Lean beef, cubed
- 2 tbs fish sauce
- 1 tbs brown sugar
- 4 tbs grated ginger
- 2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1/2 black pepper
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 large scallions, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes diced
- 3 or 4 Thai chili peppers, chopped
- 150 gr tomato paste
- 3 tbs lemongrass, tender center only
- 1 tbs anatto powder, (we used achiote)
- 1 lt beef stock
- 1 cinnamon stick, (6 cm long)
- 4 star anise pods
- 3 medium carrots, in wedges
- Cilantro or basil leaves for garnish
- Salt to taste
Preparation
To make the marinade combine the fish sauce, 2 tbs of grated ginger, brown sugar, black pepper and 5-spice powder into one paste and massage the beef until it all has the same ocher color. Then, store it in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours.
When you are ready to stew, get a thick heavy pot and seal the beef chunks using the vegetable oil. Remove the beef and in the same pot fry the onions, the garlic and the other 2 tablespoons of ginger. Then add the lemongrass chopped as fine as you can, the scallions, chopped tomatoes, Thai chili peppers, cinnamon stick, star anise pods, and the tomato paste right before adding the beef stock with the sealed beef chunks. Let it all boil for about 90 minutes.
While the stew simmers, chop the bell peppers and the carrots into bite sized pieces, they should only be added when the meat is tender and comes apart easily.
After adding the final vegetables, let it boil once more and turn the heat off. Wait another 15 minutes before stirring, serving and garnishing with a pinch of fresh cilantro or basil leaves.