Name: Vietnamese Beef Curry (Cà Ri Bò)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 500 grams 1.1 pounds beef brisket; 300 grams 0.66 pound carrots, cubed; 400 grams 0.88 pound potatoes, cubed; 1 medium onion (cut into wedges); 4 dried bay leaves; 2 tablespoons minced shallots; 2 tablespoons minced onions; 1.5 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons sugar; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 teaspoon condensed milk; 1 teaspoon oyster sauce; 3 teaspoons cashew oil; 2 teaspoon curry powder; 250 ml 8.5 ounces coconut milk; 4 medium lemongrass stalks (slightly pounded)

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Ca Ri Bo (Cà Ri Bò) is a Vietnamese curry dish made with beef, various vegetables, and local spices. It is a common dish for regular meals as well as special occasions in the country.

It boasts many characteristics that set it apart from many other Asian curry varieties, including the flavors, main ingredients, spices, and cooking techniques.

Read on, and you will learn many fantastic facts about this mouth-watering Vietnamese dish, especially how to prepare it at home.

I will offer a brief history of beef curry in Vietnam before going over the tools and ingredients you need to prepare this dish. Next, I will cover the necessary steps for cooking Vietnamese beef curry as well as helpful tips for serving it.

Now, it’s time to diversify your meal with Ca Ri Bo!

What Is Vietnamese Beef Curry?

Ca Ri Bo, Cà Ri Bò, or Vietnamese beef curry, is a popular curry dish in Vietnam. Curry originated in India and was spread to Vietnam by traders and culinary interactions, creating this dish.

Ca Ri Bo was probably popularized after the French conquest of Vietnam because beef only became popular in the country after that point.

A typical serving of Vietnamese beef curry includes beef, tubers (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, or taro), onions, tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices. Common curry spices in Vietnam are lemongrass, bay leaves, turmeric, star anise, and cinnamon.

The use of coconut milk and numerous spices distinguishes Vietnamese beef curry from similar dishes in Thailand, Japan, and India.

Ca Ri Bo is fragrant, mild yet rich, and only slightly spicy. In addition, it features a runny and soup-like consistency that goes well with many staple foods.

Now that you are familiar with Ca Ri Bo, I will go over the necessary kitchen equipment to prepare it.

What Tools Are Necessary For Making Ca Ri Bo?

Ca Ri Bo requires the most essential kitchen tools, so you don’t have to make an expensive investment. Take a quick look, and you will know what I mean.

Cooking Pot: For cooking the curry. Ceramic, stainless steel, earthenware, and cast iron pots work well for this dish.
Mixing Bowl: For marinating the beef.
Eco-friendly disposable plastic gloves: Put on a pair of gloves while mixing beef with the marinade
Ladle: For cooking the curry.

I don’t include a knife and chopping board because the ingredients for this recipe are already prepared.

What Are The Essential Ingredients For Ca Ri Bo?

Vietnamese beef curry consists of beef, vegetables, and spices. Here are the specific ingredients you must have.

Beef: The beef should be sliced into small cubes or chunks. Beef brisket is my favorite cut, but use any cut of meat you like.

Carrot: I cut the carrots into large cubes for this recipe, but feel free to try julienning or cutting them into matchsticks.
Potato: The potatoes are cut into cubes, too. You can substitute this tuber with sweet potatoes or taro for a new flavor.
Onion: I cut the onions into wedges.
Coconut Milk: This ingredient adds a mild richness to Vietnamese beef curry and makes it different from other curry varieties.
Condensed Milk: This ingredient is used in many Vietnamese dishes as a versatile sweetener.
Lemongrass: Rather than mincing the lemongrass, I cut it into sticks and pound them slightly to make them release the aromatic oil.

Herbs and Spices for the Marinade: I use a mixture of bay leaves, minced shallots, minced onions, salt, sugar, black pepper, condensed milk, oyster sauce, cashew oil, and curry powder.

After gathering these ingredients, you are now ready to prepare Ca Ri Bo at home.

What Should I Do to Prepare Ca Ri Bo At Home?

Making Ca Ri Bo is all about marinating the beef, stir-frying the beef, and cooking the curry. Below is a step-by-step guide on this process.

Step 1: Marinate The Beef

Mix the beef with bay leaves, half the minced shallots, half the minced onions, one-third of the cashew oil, half the sugar, black pepper, oyster sauce, and curry powder.

Put on a pair of gloves and mix the beef with your hands to make it absorb the flavor more easily.
Marinate the beef for at least one hour. Cover the mixing bowl and let the beef absorb the marinade overnight if possible.

Step 2: Stir-fry the Beef

Heat the pot over medium heat. Add the remaining cashew oil.

Add the remaining minced shallots, minced onions, and pounded lemongrass stalks.

Add the beef. Stir-fry for 3 minutes until the beef firms up.

Step 3: Cook the Curry

Pour water into the pot just until the beef is fully submerged.

Bring water to a boil while stirring constantly. Season with salt and the remaining sugar.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add potatoes and carrots. Cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables become tender.

Add onions and give the curry a good stir.

Add coconut milk and condensed milk. Stir to mix. Turn off the heat.

Garnish with your favorite herbs. Serve hot with Vietnamese baguettes.

What Are the Best Tips And Tricks For Home-made Beef Curry?

In this section, I will address a few matters on preparing and serving Ca Ri Bo, such as cooking tips, accompaniments, storage, and similar Vietnamese dishes.

Let’s start with a few simple pieces of advice on making your Vietnamese beef curry more delicious.

Choose the right cut of beef: To make the beef curry tender and juicy, you should go for beef brisket with a good amount of marbling. Using beef that is too lean can result in a tough and dry curry.
Marinate the meat with curry powder: If you can’t find all the spices for the marinade, you can marinate the beef in a simple mixture of curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Use more curry powder.
Achieve the right color and texture: Authentic Vietnamese beef curry should have an orangish-yellow color and a soupy consistency.
Use substitute ingredients: Feel free to substitute potatoes with sweet potatoes or taro. If you don’t have evaporated milk, fresh milk can be used as an alternative.
Add coconut milk at the right time: Blend in the coconut milk last to prevent it from curdling or forming clumps.
Remove the lemongrass stalks: The lemongrass stalks aren’t edible, so remove them from the curry before serving. Still, many Vietnamese people like to leave them in to enhance the flavor.

What Dishes Go Well With Ca Ri Bo?

Vietnamese-style baguettes are the traditional side dish to serve with Ca Ri Bo, but you can choose other types of crusty bread. Steamed rice and fresh rice noodles make other excellent alternatives.

A side of fresh vegetables or salad provides a nice contrast with the rich flavor of Ca Ri Bo. While not as common in Vietnam, this addition is worth considering for those looking for a balance of flavors.

How To Store And Reheat Ca Ri Bo?

The best way to store Ca Ri Bo is to keep it in a sealed container and transfer it into the fridge or the freezer. This curry dish can be refrigerated for 2 – 3 days or frozen for 2 – 3 months.

To reheat Vietnamese beer curry, add it to a skillet and put on low heat. Alternatively, you can microwave the curry, but remember to add a splash of water to prevent it from drying out.

What Are Other Suggestions For Similar Vietnamese Dishes?

Do you want to try more Vietnamese beef dishes? If so, the following suggestions will greatly expand your meal options.

Bo Kho Banh Mi (Vietnamese beef stew): This beef stew recipe is similar to Vietnamese beef curry in many ways, from the main ingredients to the side dishes. The only difference is that it doesn’t contain curry spices and coconut milk.
Pho Xao Thit Bo (Vietnamese stir-fried rice noodles with beef): Pho Xao Thit Bo is a stir-fried version of the classic beef phở. It is a suitable main dish for a simple lunch or dinner.
Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese shaking beef): If you don’t have enough time to stew beef, how about making a beef stir-fry like Vietnamese shaking beef? This combo of juicy cubed beef and colorful vegetables will please even the pickiest eater.
Mi Xao Bo (Vietnamese stir-fried noodles with beef): Noodle lovers will adore this Vietnamese stir-fried noodle dish. Mi Xao Bo is a tasty and convenient dish for any time of the day.

Do You Want to Make Ca Ri Bo Now?

There are many finger-licking curry dishes in the world, and Ca Ri Bo is among the best. When you want a break from intensely flavorful curries, the mild richness and savoriness of Vietnamese beef curry will offer a change of pace to your palate.

Have you made Ca Ri Bo at home yet? How did it go? What other tips and tricks did you discover? Fill me in on everything in the common section! Before you go, please share this post with your friends!

Tien – Alden

Content Writer

Expertise

Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator

Education

Saigon Tourism College

Program: Certificate in Culinary Arts
Focus: Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines.

Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing

Program: A three-month intensive program of Advanced Culinary Workshop
Focus: Authentic Chinese cuisine.

Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School

Program: Certificate of Vietnamese Traditional Cooking
Focus: A specialized course on traditional and family recipes passed down through generations.

American College of Vietnam

Program: Bartender
Focus: Provide background knowledge and help students confident to create appealing drinks

Alden is a skilled chef with expertise in Asian cuisines, known for blending traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cooking with contemporary innovations. Alden’s passion for Asian flavors and her creative approach to both food and beverages inspires fellow chefs and those aspiring to enter the field.