BO KHO (SPICY VIETNAMESE BEEF STEW)

Bo Kho (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew) image

Bo Kho is the best beef stew I have ever eaten! It takes a bit of prep work, but so very worth it in the end! I always double this recipe.

Provided by Lori Rowley-Sipple

Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Stews Beef

Time 4h7m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 stalk lemongrass
3 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
2 ½ tablespoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 bay leaf
2 ½ pounds beef brisket, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained and crushed with your hands
kosher salt to taste
3 cups water
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

Trim ends off lemongrass and cut into 3-inch pieces. Pound gently with a heavy object until bruised.
Mix lemongrass stalk, fish sauce, ginger, applesauce, curry powder, five-spice powder, and bay leaf in a large bowl. Add beef; mix until coated. Let marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Drain excess marinade off beef, reserving lemongrass and bay leaf.
Melt ghee in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches until browned, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer beef to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Simmer until thickened into a paste, 12 to 14 minutes.
Stir beef, reserved lemongrass, and bay leaf into the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Add water and carrots; bring to a boil.
Cover and cook in the preheated oven until beef is tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 346.4 calories, Carbohydrate 13.5 g, Cholesterol 70.6 mg, Fat 24.6 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 16.7 g, SaturatedFat 10.7 g, Sodium 701.9 mg, Sugar 7 g