Vietnamese Bo Kho: Lemongrass Beef Stew with Star Anise, Cinnamon and Carrots for Fall

Toss the beef with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, the brown sugar and the five-spice powder. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, plus a 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
• 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, bruised and cut into 3-inch lengths
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 whole star anise and 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth or coconut water
• 1 pound (450 g) carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• Thai basil, lime wedges and crusty baguette, for serving

Instructions

1. Toss the beef with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, the brown sugar and the five-spice powder. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches, about 6 minutes per batch, until deeply seared. Set the beef aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red. Return the beef and any juices to the pot.
5. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Add the carrots and continue simmering, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes until the beef is spoon-tender and the carrots are soft.
7. Fish out the lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon. Season with the remaining tablespoon of fish sauce and adjust to taste.
8. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai basil. Serve with lime wedges and warm baguette for dipping, or over rice noodles.
9. Bo kho shows the French and Vietnamese kitchens meeting in one pot: a slow beef braise in the spirit of a daube, perfumed with lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon. In Saigon it is beloved as a breakfast, sold from street stalls with a torn baguette for mopping up the broth. At home it makes a deeply warming dinner for the first cold nights of fall, and it tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Protein: 40g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 8g
• Sodium: 980mg