It’s not like beef stew you know though. Lemongrass. Star anise. Background notes of curry. And just a hint of heat. So good. Bo kho is comfort food done Vietnamese style.
Bo kho is this amazing Vietnamese beef stew
It’s not hard to make. It’s braised beef. There’s nothing intimidating about it. If you can make stew you can make bo kho. But it’s not just any beef stew. This is about huge flavours. Big. Bold. Different. Complex. Satisfying. But somehow still the same. Still beef stew with carrots. Think of it as a variation on a theme. Classic beef stew with a few extra ingredients. It’s those ingredients move this dish into completely new territory. This is why cooking is so much fun. Take something you know and love – mix it up a bit – and get something new but still familiar. And incredibly delicious. Mi bo kho. Bo kho translates literally to beef stew. Mi just means serve it with egg noodles. Mi bo kho – beef stew with egg noodles. How can you go wrong? Don’t like egg noodles? Use rice noodles. Then it’s hu tieu bo kho.
Bo kho or pho
That is the question I face every time I go for Vietnamese noodle soup. And it’s a tough one. I love pho broth. Addicted to it really. But the depth of flavour in bo kho is pretty incredible. And it is so satisfying. The braised beef is pure comfort. And I get my noodle fix either way. Really hard to choose. So I just go more often. Try it next time you are out for Vietnamese. You will thank me. Or maybe you won’t because you will have the same dilemma I do. That’s a nice problem to have.
A bit of sate sauce at the end adds a big burst of flavour
Feel like going absolutely crazy? Mix in a bit of Vietnamese sate sauce right at the end. It’s total overkill. But overkill isn’t a bad thing here at all. Subtle isn’t always best. These aren’t delicate flavours. Nuanced. Definitely. Subtle. Not a chance.
Boneless short ribs make the best bo kho
If you can get boneless short ribs use them. It’s not super authentic but it puts this dish right over the top. In fact, if you can get boneless short ribs any time you are making any beef stew just do it. Seriously. Don’t even stop to think. You will never regret it. When was the last time you heard somebody say “Damn, I should not have used boneless short ribs.”
Great for dinner parties
This is a great dish for a dinner party with good friends. With foodie friends. It’s stew. So you can make it ahead of time. Just keep it warm on the stove. The aromas will fill the house. When your friends walk through the door they are going to start drooling. It’s that good. Reach down and grab you from the inside good. You can serve bo kho a few ways. Egg noodles. Rice noodles. Baguette even. All authentic. All just unbelievably tasty. Try it. You will love it.
