Bò Kho
Bò kho is considered one of the few Vietnamese recipes that visibly carries the imprint of French cuisine, picked up during the colonial period. The basic structure — beef braised for a long time with carrots, in a thick sauce — recalls French daube-style stews or bœuf bourguignon, but the spices are entirely Vietnamese: lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon turn the dish into something quite different from its European root. Unlike many stews served only for lunch or dinner, bò kho is primarily a breakfast dish in southern Vietnam, eaten with crusty bread (bánh mì) dipped in the sauce or with rice noodles. The key to the technique is dry-toasting the whole spices before they go into the pot — a simple step, but one that releases their aromatic oils and gives the sauce a depth that adding them raw never could.
The beef marinates with smashed lemongrass and garlic
The lemongrass works into the meat while it rests, not just while simmering
Star anise and cinnamon are dry-toasted before use
Toasting releases their aromatic oils for a deeper flavor
The carrots go in only toward the end of cooking
They stay firm instead of turning to mush after hours of simmering
Traditionally eaten with crusty bread, for breakfast
The bread dipped in the broth is just as important as the meat
Ingredients 4 servings
- 800g beef shank or chuck, cut into large chunks
- 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed and cut into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 carrots, cut into large chunks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp annatto oil (or tomato paste)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 700ml beef stock or water
- Crusty bread or rice noodles, for serving
- Thai basil and fresh cilantro, for serving
How to make it
- 1MARINATE THE BEEF: mix the beef chunks with the lemongrass, half the garlic and the fish sauce, refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- 2TOAST THE SPICES: dry-toast the star anise and cinnamon stick in a pot for a few minutes, until fragrant.
- 3SEAR THE BEEF: heat the annatto oil in the same pot, brown the marinated beef in batches, a few minutes per side.
- 4ADD THE ONION AND LIQUID: add the onion and remaining garlic, sauté briefly, then pour in the beef stock, bring to a boil.
- 5SIMMER: cover and simmer on low for 1.5-2 hours, until the beef is tender.
- 6ADD THE CARROTS: add the carrot chunks in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.
- 7ADJUST THE SEASONING: add sugar and fish sauce to taste.
- 8SERVE: serve hot with crusty bread or rice noodles, topped with Thai basil and cilantro.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
