BO KHO (Vietnamese beef stew)

BO KHO or Vietnamese beef stew

A medley of fragrant spices, this hearty stew is best paired with a steaming hot bowl of rice

Serves 6
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 3 hours

 

BO KHO (Vietnamese beef stew) ingredients: 1/2 cup cooking oil. 1 tablespoon annotto seeds (atsuete). 1 kilo beef chuch or round, sliced into bite-sized cubes. salt and pepper, to season. 1 cup all-purpose flour. 3 lemongrass bulbs, bruised with the back of a knife. 1(2-inch) piece ginger, cut into big slices. 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks. 3 pieces star anise. 2 bay leaves. 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder. 1 tablespoon curry powder. 2 tablespoons fish sauce. 2 teaspoons salt. 1 (227-gram) can tomato paste. 1 large onion, cut into quarters. 2 medium-sized carrots, cut into 2-inch cubes. 3 medium-sized potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes. Steamed rice, to serve

BO KHO (Vietnamese beef stew) recipe: In a small pan, heat oil and annatto seeds. Keep stirring until oil turns orange. Strain oil and discard seeds. Set aside. 2- Season beef with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. In a large pot, heat the prepared annatto oil and sear beef until brown. Set aside. 3- Using the same pot, saute lemongrass and ginger. Add cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, five-spice powder, and curry powder. 4- Return meat to the pot. Add fish sauce, salt, and tomato paste. 5- Fill the pot with water until about three-quarters full. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium and simmer for an hour. Add onions. Simmer for another hour or until meet is fork-tender. Adjust seasoning to taste. 6- Add carrots and potatoes. Simmer until vegetables are cooked. Serve with rice on the side. By then, the BO KHO or Vietnamese beef stew is ready