Bò Kho
Vietnamese beef stew of slow-braised shin with lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon, ginger and tomato, finished with sweet chunks of carrot.
makes 25 blocks, about 50p each
- Time
- 3 hr 15 min25 min prep · 2 hr 50 min cook
- Makes
- 25 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 50p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 83 kcal
- Spice
Ingredients
- 1kgbeef shin, fat trimmed, 4cm chunks
- 3 stalks (45g)lemongrass
- 4 (100g)shallots, finely chopped
- 5 cloves (25g)garlic, crushed
- 30gfresh ginger, grated
- 1 (10g)red chilli, finely chopped
- 40gtomato purée
- 3g (1 tsp)Chinese five-spice
- 5g (2 tsp)sweet paprika
- 2star anise
- 1 stickcinnamon
- 40mlfish sauce
- 15glight brown sugar
- 1 cubebeef stock cube
- 1Lwater
- 400gcarrots, 3cm chunks
- 15mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Fish. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Nutrition
estimated| 1 block | 3 blocks | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 83 kcal | 249 kcal |
| Protein | 8.9g | 26.7g |
| Carbs | 3.8g | 11.4g |
| Fat | 3.6g | 10.8g |
| Fibre | 0.9g | 2.7g |
| Salt | 0.63g | 1.89g |
Method
- Step 1: Toss the beef with the five-spice, sugar and 15ml of the fish sauce. Cut each lemongrass stalk in three and bruise with a rolling pin.
- Step 2: Heat the oil in a casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches. Lift it out. (12 min)
- Step 3: Lower the heat and fry the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli, lemongrass and paprika for 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée for 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Return the beef with the water, stock cube, star anise, cinnamon and the rest of the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 2 hours.
- Step 5: Add the carrots and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the beef is falling apart and the sauce has reduced.
- Step 6: Remove the lemongrass, star anise and cinnamon, then cool and freeze in 70g blocks.
Hotter: add 2 sliced bird's eye chillies with the shallots.
Serve it
Warm crusty baguette for dipping · Rice noodles with Thai basil and lime · Steamed rice with bean sprouts and coriander
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 83 | 8.9g | 3.8g | 3.6g | 0.9g | 0.63g |
| Per 3 blocks | 249 | 26.7g | 11.4g | 10.8g | 2.7g | 1.89g |
Cook’s notes
- Coconut water in place of half the water is common in southern Vietnam and adds a gentle sweetness.
- Chuck or braising steak works in place of shin; check it after 1 hour 30 minutes.
- A squeeze of lime and a handful of Thai basil or coriander when reheating freshens it up.
Serve it
Warm crusty baguette for dipping · Rice noodles with Thai basil and lime · Steamed rice with bean sprouts and coriander.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 249 kcal and 26.7g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Bò Kho questions
Why bruise the lemongrass?
Bruising cracks the fibres so the stalks release their citrus flavour into the stew, while the pieces stay large enough to lift out before freezing.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Brown the beef and fry the aromatics, then cook everything except the carrots for 7 hours on Low. Add the carrots for the last 1 hour 30 minutes, and reduce on the hob if it is thin.
What can I use instead of five-spice?
Use an extra star anise and a pinch each of ground cloves and black pepper. The stew will be a little less fragrant but still warm and rounded.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes gluten-free stock cubes.