Soups & Stews · Tested at home

Bo Kho: Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew with Noodles

Name: Bo Kho: Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew with Noodles
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck or brisket (cut into 1½-inch chunks); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 3 tablespoons ginger (minced); 5 tablespoons fish sauce; 2½ teaspoons five-spice powder; 1½ teaspoons brown sugar; 3 tablespoons oil; 1 stalk lemongrass (cut into 3-inch lengths, after removing any tough woody parts); 2 stalks lemongrass (minced, after removing any tough woody parts); 8 cloves garlic (minced); 1 onion (sliced thinly); 4 tablespoons tomato paste; 8 cups water; 2 cups pure coconut water/juice; 2 star anise; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground annatto (optional); 1 tablespoon paprika; 8 large carrots (peeled and cut on the bias into 1½-inch chunks); 1 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 3 tablespoons chili oil (or to taste); wide rice noodles or egg noodles; ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves; 1/2 cup Thinly sliced raw onion; Lime wedges

Original recipe by Kaitlin Leung · The Woks of Life
Best of the Best · Selected by Justin. Ingredients retained; functional instructions independently written.

Beef braised with lemongrass, fish sauce, spices, coconut water, and carrots, served over noodles with fresh herbs.

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Turn up the heat

Let’s cook.

Coat the beef with the marinade garlic, ginger, fish sauce, five-spice, and brown sugar. Marinate 30 minutes.
Heat the oil over high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Cook the lemongrass lengths for 1 minute, then the minced lemongrass and stew garlic for 2 minutes.
Soften the sliced onion until translucent. Add the beef and brown all sides. Stir in the tomato paste and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
Add the water, coconut water, star anise, black pepper, chili powder, optional annatto, and paprika. Bring to a boil, cover, lower to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
Add the carrots, salt, soy sauce, and chili oil, then simmer another 40 minutes.
Remove the large lemongrass pieces and star anise. Cook noodles according to their package and portion into bowls. Ladle over the stew; add cilantro, Thai basil, and raw onion, with lime wedges alongside.

From Justin’s kitchen

I made this on a whim one day years ago and it blew my mind. It gets made about once every 2 months still.

Bo Kho: Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew with Noodles

Ingredients

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