Vietnamese beef stew

It’s been a while I didn’t cook “Bo Kho” (beef stew). This is one of my favorite Vietnamese soup. I don’t like to cook food that take too much time and effort but when it is done it’s deserved the work. Today I decide to serve my husband, my son, of course and me this soup. I would like to introduce the way to cook it as well as the ingredients.

Vietnamese beef stew is something I love to make on Sundays as I can get several meals out of it. Don’t be deceived as this beef stew is not your typical stew; it’s more than just a soup. It’s a French influenced dish but everything about it is Vietnamese. This beef stew has a deep red color and is rich in spices (star anise, cinnamon and Chinese 5 spices). The red color is from annatto seeds. For convenience I am using Bo Kho seasoning which already mixed spices for making Bo Kho

This Vietnamese beef stew is bursting with flavors. Apart from all the spices, there’s lemon grass, garlic and onion adding to the flavors and aromas. I also love the soft gooey beef tendons in this dish. The difficult task is deciding whether to serve this stew with rice noodles or to dip crusty Vietnamese bread in it. We like it both ways.

Ingredients

3 lbs of beef (I the one with muscle, tendon, studded ... you can chose different kind depending on your family's tastes)
1 bag of Bo Kho seasoning (as in the picture)
3 carrots, cut into chunks
1 brown onion, finely chopped

1 big onion cut into strips
2 liter of water
3 lemon grass mince, leave the top part aside
4 tablespoon oil
Basil leaves

Method

Cut the beef shanks in chunks 1½ -inch chunks. In a large bowl, combine the beef Bo Kho seasoning, brown onion, minced lemon grass and garlic. Mix well to evenly coat the beef and set aside for 30 minutes (can cover and refrigerate).

In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry the onions and garlic until fragrant. Add marinated beef and stir well for about 5 minutes.

Add the water and the top part of lemon grass to the pot, bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1.5 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Add the carrots, daikon, onion and return the stew to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until the carrots, daikon and beef are soft. If the stew is too chunky then you can add a bit more water, or if it’s too watery then you can simmer longer. Do a taste test by adding more sugar or salt if necessary.
Once the stew is ready discard the lemon grass. Serve with rice noodles or bread and garnish stew with basil.