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Vietnamese Beef Stew Recipe

Vietnamese beef stew is a nice Asian take on this classic dish, but it doesn’t take much to prepare this all-apart-in-your-mouth delicacy. Read this post, and you will be surprised by its simplicity.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Bò Kho, Vietnamese Beef Stew
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Dietary Preference: Dairy-Free, Keto, Paleo
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 980kcal

Equipment

  • Pot
  • Tongs
  • Spatula
  • Chopping Board
  • Ladle
  • Knife

Ingredients

Main ingredients

  • 500 grams beef shank
  • 1 onion, big
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallots
  • 4 lemongrass stalks
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 5 star anises, whole
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 1 liter coconut water
  • 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch

Marinade ingredients

  • 1.5 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons cashew powder
  • 2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots

Side dishes:

  • Herbs: Thai basil, saw leaves, scallions, etc.
  • 3 Vietnamese baguettes
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Cut the carrots into suitably thick slices, ideally in the shape of flowers. Cut the onion into wedges. Quarter the tomatoes and dice them into cubes.
  • Use a mini chopper to mince garlic and shallots separately. Cut the lemongrass stalks into short baton-like shapes. Slice some of them finely to mince with the chopper.
  • Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes. Soak them in a mixture of minced aromatics (lemongrass, garlic, shallots), five-spice powder, turmeric powder, ginger powder, cashew powder, black pepper, chili powder, Vietnamese fish sauce, brown sugar, and oyster sauce. Mix vigorously and marinate for 20 - 30 minutes.
  • Sear the marinated beef cubes on all sides for a few minutes in the mini stock pot. Set aside.
  • Saute minced shallots and garlic in olive oil, then add tomato cubes to the pot. Stir-fry until they turn soft.
  • Add minced garlic and lemongrass batons, then cook until fragrant.
  • Return the beef to the pot and give a good stir. Add star anise, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pour coconut water into the pot and turn down the heat. Season with salt and brown sugar, then stew for 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • Then, add carrot slices and cook for another 15 minutes.
  • Remove star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and lemongrass batons from the pot.
  • Turn up the heat and add onion wedges.
  • To thicken the stew, mix cornstarch with a little water, then stir the mixture with it.
  • Garnish with Thai basil, scallions, and onion slices/ rings on top. Serve with fresh herbs and baguettes.

Video

Notes

  • You can skip the thickening step if you want to serve Vietnamese beef stew with rice or rice noodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 980kcal | Carbohydrates: 165g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 5980mg | Potassium: 2153mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 7605IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 464mg | Iron: 15mg