DISH RESEARCH · Main dish
Bo Kho
Beef and carrot stew with lemongrass, star anise and coconut water.
About Bo Kho
Helen Le’s bò kho combines beef shank and carrots in a tomato-and-coconut-water broth with lemongrass and warm spices. The published Vietnamese rendition pairs the stew with baguette, alongside fried shallots, sliced onion, Thai basil and sawtooth herbs.
Ginger, garlic, star anise and cinnamon give the broth its aromatic character. Soy sauce seasons the beef, while the sauce carries tomato richness and coconut-water sweetness. Annatto seed oil is an optional addition.
The beef and carrots are tender within the broth, with fresh herbs and onion providing contrast. The recipe also offers an optional oyster-seasoned carrot preparation and a sunny-side-up egg for a heartier breakfast serving.
Allergens in this recipe
Contains: Soy, Wheat (gluten).
Optional additions: Molluscs, Egg.
Other allergen details are unconfirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Bo Kho
Helen Le’s bò kho with beef shank and baguette.
- Beef shankProtein
- SugarSeasoning
- SaltSeasoning
- Chicken stockSeasoning
- PepperSeasoningIngredient page not linked
- Five-spice powderSeasoning
- GingerAromatic
- Soy sauceSeasoning
- GarlicAromatic
- LemongrassAromatic
- Star aniseSeasoning
- Cinnamon stickSeasoning
- Tomato sauceLiquid
- Coconut waterLiquid
- Beef brothLiquid
- CarrotsBase
- Annatto seed oilCooking medium · OptionalIngredient page not linked
- French baguetteAccompaniment
- Crispy fried shallotsGarnish
- Yellow onionGarnish
- Sawtooth herbsGarnishIngredient page not linked
- Thai basilGarnish
- Vegetable oilCooking mediumIngredient page not linked
- Oyster sauceSeasoning · Optional
- Sunny-side-up eggAccompaniment · Optional
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Beef shank: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual79 shank/tendon/brisket alternatives, shank option selected.
- Sugar: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Chicken stock: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual86 teaspoon stock in marinade126, concentrate/product form/full formula unprovided; not a liquid stock recipe reconstructed.
- Pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual88 and130 generic pepper; species/form unprovided.
- Five-spice powder: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual90 five-spice OR bo-kho powder, five-spice option selected; full blend formula unknown, no separately imported Huy packet ingredients.
- Ginger: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Soy sauce: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Soy source-confirmed. Actual94 normal soy sauce confirms Soy; full cereal/product formula unprovided.
- Garlic: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual96 marinade/saute and optional carrot128 allocations consolidated.
- Lemongrass: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Star anise: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cinnamon stick: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Tomato sauce: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual105 tomato sauce option selected over paste; full separate formula unknown.
- Coconut water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual108 coconut water, not Huy soda/Coke/Sprite.
- Beef broth: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual110 beef broth option selected over water, full component formula unprovided.
- Carrots: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Annatto seed oil (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual116 optional prepared oil, full carrier formula unprovided, not invented separate extraction recipe.
- French baguette: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Wheat (gluten) source-confirmed. Actual118 baguette selected over rice noodles; standard bread confirms Wheat, whole separate formula unknown.
- Crispy fried shallots: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual120 prepared garnish, full frying medium/recipe unprovided.
- Yellow onion: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Sawtooth herbs: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Actual124 sawtooth herbs, exact botanical/candidate identity unresolved rather than forced culantro.
- Thai basil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Vegetable oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Required method-only127 frying medium, botanical source unprovided distinct from optional annatto oil.
- Oyster sauce (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Molluscs source-confirmed. Explicit optional128 carrot-preseasoning option, named oyster confirms Molluscs; full brand formula unknown.
- Sunny-side-up egg (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Egg source-confirmed. Actual69 optional breakfast addition, prepared egg confirms Egg; full separate frying formula unprovided.
Origins & food traditions
Cuisines & regions
- Vietnamese Cuisine
- Vietnamese Australian cuisineCatalogue link pending review
- Vietnamese CuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.