Bò Kho Recipe - NGON Vietnam

Bò Kho

Vietnamese Beef Stew

A fragrant and hearty beef stew braised with lemongrass, star anise, and spices, served with bread, rice noodles, or steamed rice.

Other variations:

Bò kho bánh mì, Bò kho hủ tiếu, Bò kho cơm

Region

Southern Vietnam

Preparation Time

3h10

Servings

4–6

Difficulty

Hard

About this recipe

Bò Kho is a popular Southern Vietnamese comfort food, influenced by both French stews and local seasoning traditions. Its rich, aromatic broth is infused with lemongrass, annatto oil, and warm spices, making it versatile for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients List

800 g beef shank or brisket (cut into chunks) 2 carrots (cut into large pieces) 3 stalks lemongrass (bruised tied) 3 cloves garlic (minced) 2 shallots (minced) 20 g ginger (sliced) 2 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp five-spice powder 3 star anise pods 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp annatto seeds 2 tbsp sugar salt and pepper to taste water or beef stock to cover

Materials & Tools

Large pot or Dutch oven knife and chopping board mixing bowls ladle small pan for annatto oil

Preparation steps

Total Time :

3h10

Active Time :

1h00

Cooking Time

2h10

Color Oil

Heat oil, fry annatto seeds until red, discard seeds.

5 min

Brown Beef

Sear beef chunks until browned.

10 min

Add Aromatics

Add garlic, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, sauté until fragrant.

10 min

Season

Add tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, five-spice, star anise, cinnamon, sugar, salt, pepper.

10 min

Simmer

Add water/stock, simmer gently 1.5–2h until tender.

2h00

Add Carrots

Add carrots in last 30 minutes.

30 min

Finish

Adjust seasoning, serve hot with bread, rice noodles, or rice.

5 min

Chef’s Tips

For richer flavor, marinate beef with spices and sauces for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh herbs, lime wedges, sliced chili

Nutritional info

520kcal
35g protein
18g fat
50g carbs

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