Name: Spiced Beef Stew (Thịt Bò Kho)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 3 star anise pods; 6 cups unsalted chicken or beef broth; ¼ cup fish sauce; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 large carrots, peeled, cut lengthwise, and chopped into 1½-inch pieces; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, cut into 2-inch lengths; 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder; 1½ tablespoons sugar; 1 fresh Thai bird chile, finely chopped; 6 clove garlic, minced; 1 pound top round beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes; 1 large onion, cut into 6 pieces and separated; 1 medium daikon, peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces; 1½ teaspoons annatto seeds; Fresh cilantro or parsley; 1 cinnamon stick; 5 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Little Saigon Cookbook

By Ann Le

Published 2011

About

One of my favorite “slow” dishes, this beef stew is more like a perfectly spiced soup than an actual thick stew. Nonetheless, it is still a hearty meal with remarkable flavor and perfect for eating with a fresh, warm baguette to sop up the liquid (steamed white rice is also good). A friend of mine describes it as eating an “exoticized beef stew.” The preparation is quite simple, and then you can just leave the stew at the back of your stove in a low simmer for a few hours. Surprisingly, thi