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

2h50

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 2 tsp fish sauce 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp five-spice powder 3 star anise pods 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp annatto seeds 2 tbsp oil 2½ tsp sugar 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste ½ tsp black pepper (ground) 1.2 liters water 2½ tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2½ tbsp water

Materials & Tools

Large pot or Dutch oven Knife and chopping board Mixing bowls Ladle Small pan

Preparation steps

Total Time

2h50

Cooking Time

2h20

Active Time

30 min

Color Oil

Heat oil in a small pan and fry annatto seeds over low heat until oil turns red, then discard seeds.

5 min

Marinate Beef

Mix beef with five-spice, salt, pepper and 1½ tbsp annatto oil. Leave at least 30 minutes.

30 min

Sauté Aromatics

Heat remaining annatto oil in pot and stir garlic, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon until fragrant.

5 min

Sear Beef

Add beef and stir 3 - 4 minutes until browned.

5 min

Season

Stir in tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar and cook 1 minute.

5 min

Simmer

Add water and bring to a boil, skimming off foam. Cover and simmer gently for 1h30 - 1h45, until beef is almost tender.

1h45

Add Carrots

Remove lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon, then add carrots and simmer about 10 minutes, until just tender. Season to taste.

10 min

Thicken

Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into pot and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve hot with bread, rice noodles or rice.

5 min

Chef’s Tips

For a richer flavor, marinate the beef for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh herbs, lime wedges, sliced chili, bread, rice noodles or steamed rice

Nutritional info

520kcal
35g protein
18g fat
50g carbs

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