Bo Kho (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Shank Stew)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 100 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Beef shank marinated in fish sauce and garlic simmers for one to two hours with lemongrass and tomato paste, until the meat pulls apart and the broth turns red and lightly thick.
Read more
It is often traced to southern Saigon kitchens where long French braising met Vietnamese aromatics, and street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City sell it from early morning. Some spoon it over rice; others dip a baguette.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Cut 800 g beef shank into 5 cm chunks and pat the surface dry.
Mix with 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 20 g minced garlic, coating all sides, then marinate for 15 minutes so the seasoning reaches the meat.
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
Add 150 g sliced onion and 3 bruised lemongrass stalks, then cook for about 4 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the citrus aroma rises.
- 3
Add the marinated beef and spread it across the bottom of the pot.
Sear until the surfaces turn brown, turning the pieces as moisture cooks off. Lower the heat slightly if the garlic or fond starts sticking too dark.
- 4
Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
Scrape the bottom and mix until the beef is evenly coated red and the paste smells rounded rather than raw.
- 5
Pour in enough water to cover the beef, bring it to a boil, then reduce to low heat.
Simmer gently for 60 to 120 minutes, until the shank yields easily when pressed.
- 6
Add 250g carrot cut into bite-size pieces and simmer for 30 minutes more.
When the carrot is tender and the broth is slightly thick, taste and adjust with fish sauce before turning off the heat.
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