Bò Kho – Vietnamese-Style Beef Soup (Belli Beef Style!)

Vietnamese style Beef Soup

When the rain rolls in and the paddocks get soggy, we reach for comfort in a bowl. This spicy, fragrant Vietnamese beef soup is perfect for our Belli Beef cubes - full of flavour that shine when braised low and slow.

Ingredients:

• 550g Belli Beef cubes

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• 3 tablespoons ginger (minced)

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce

• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder

• 1½ teaspoons brown sugar

For the rest of the soup:

• 3 tablespoons oil

• 2 stalks lemongrass (minced, after removing any tough woody parts)

• 8 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 onion (sliced thinly)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup Belli Beef bone broth

• 2 cups pure coconut water

• 2 star anise

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon chili powder (to taste)

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 2 large carrots (peeled and cut into match sticks, peel strips)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons tamari/coconut aminos sauce

• wide rice noodles or egg noodles

• ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Method:

• Marinate the beef. Combine the beef with the garlic, ginger, fish sauce, five-spice powder, and brown sugar until each piece is evenly coated. Marinate for 30 minutes.

• Next, the oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the lemongrass and allow to infuse the oil for 1 minute. Next, add the minced lemongrass and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.

• Add the onions and cook until translucent. Then add all of the beef to the pot, and brown evenly on all sides. Add the tomato paste.

• Stir and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the water, stock, coconut water, star anise, ground black pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

• After an hour has passed, add the carrots, salt, tamari/coconut aminos sauce. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

• To serve, remove the star anise pods.

• Cook your noodles per package instructions, transfer to bowls, and ladle the soup over the top.

• Garnish with cilantro and serve with some lime wedges on the side.