Bo Kho - Vietnamese Beef Stew

Cook Time 4 hours

Servings 5-6

Ingredients

Beef Marinade

2kg beef chuck, large dice

1 stalks lemongrass, crushed

1 tsp 5 spice powder

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp caster sugar

Braise

1 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped

1 small knob ginger, crushed

2 cloves garlic, minced

100g tomato paste

3 star anise

1 small cassia bark

3 carrots, peeled and diced

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 brown onion, peeled and sliced

3-4L chicken/beef stock

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

Garnish

1 small onion, peeled and sliced thin

1 cup Thai basil, leaves picked

1 cup coriander, roughly chopped

½ cup spring onion, sliced

4 banh mi or baguettes

Method

Heat a pan over high heat, add some oil to the pan. In small batches seal and brown the diced beef. Once browned, remove from the pan onto a plate and set aside. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

Place the meat in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients making sure to coat all the meat. Set aside to marinade for 1 - 2 hours or best overnight.

In a large pot over med-high heat fry the lemongrass and garlic until aromatic then add the marinated beef and tomato paste to the pot making sure to give the pot a good stir. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes then top with stock, star anise, cassia bark and ginger. Leave to simmer for 2.5 - 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

Once the meat is soft add the potatoes, carrots and onions and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are soft. Season with the fish sauce and sugar making sure it’s well balanced.

Serve the Bo Kho in deep bowls garnished with the coriander, spring onion, Thai basil, onion and the banh mi on the side.