Vietnamese Beef Stew & a Few More Favorites. .
Baby it is cold outside and what better to do during the winter months here in New England than to try a new recipe once a week to spice life up a bit. This week’s meal comes from the Wall Street Journal and it is a Vietnamese Beef Stew that originates in the Southern part of Vietnam. Like many traditional meals there is a tremendous variety of ingredients you can use. This one below seems to be somewhere in the middle but others include additional ingredients such as chili, hot peppers, daikon, fresh coconut, curry, potatoes and sometimes even beer. With such aromatic ingredients the house smells wonderful as the stews simmers and permeates the air with savory, sweet and spicy all at once.
Bo Kho ~ Vietnamese Beef Stew
If you'd like to substitute beef shank for chuck, buy 2¾ pounds bone-in pieces, about 1-inch thick. Cut the meat into chunks and add the bones during simmering. The stew will take longer to cook but will be slightly richer.
Hands-On Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 3 hours serves: 4-6
2 to 2¼ pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch chunksIngredients
- 2 stalks lemongrass, loose leaves discarded, cut into 3-inch lengths and bruised with the broad side of a cleaver or chef's knife (lightly flatten out lemongrass stalks, you will smell the aroma)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ to 3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
- 1½ teaspoons packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion or 8 ounces shallot, finely chopped
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomato in purée (1½ cups)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 whole star anise
- About 3½ cups water
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil
What To Do
1. In a bowl, combine beef, lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, brown sugar and bay leaf. Mix well to evenly coat. Set aside to marinate 30 minutes.
2. In a heavy-bottomed 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, sear beef on all sides, and then transfer to a plate. Each batch should take about 3 minute’s total. Reserve lemongrass, bay leaf and leftover marinade.
3. Lower heat to medium-low, add onions and cook gently, stirring, until fragrant and soft, 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook until mixture is fragrant and has reduced to a rough paste, 12-14 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure tomato is not sticking to bottom of pan. If it is, stir well and splash in some water.
4. When a paste has formed, add beef, reserved marinade ingredients and star anise. Give a big stir, then cook, uncovered, to meld flavors, about 5 minutes. Add water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until beef is chewy-tender (close to being done), about 1¼ hours. Press on a piece; it should yield but still feel firm.
5. Add carrots and return to simmer, adjusting heat if needed. Cook, uncovered, until carrots and beef are tender, about 30 minutes. (Everything up to this point can be done up to 2 days in advance, then cooled, covered and refrigerated. Bring to a simmer before continuing.)
6. Before serving, taste. Add salt or a shot of fish sauce to intensify flavor, or splash in water to lighten. Remove and discard lemongrass, bay leaf and star anise. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with herbs.
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David Popoff is a Connecticut license real estate agent in lower Fairfield County. He has lived and worked in the area for over 30 years and now reside in Darien since 2004.
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