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Creamy Coconut Beef Broth Bowl

This easy coconut beef broth bowl combines crispy ground beef, creamy red curry coconut broth, coconut rice and baby bok choy for a cozy 30-minute dinner inspired by the viral social media trend.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Author: natasha

Ingredients

For the Crispy Beef

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the Coconut Red Curry Broth

  • 2 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper optional

For the Bowls

  • 2 8.5-ounce packages microwave coconut rice, or about 3 cups cooked coconut or jasmine rice
  • 4 baby bok choy halved lengthwise
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds for ganish
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Brown the beef.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces and spreading it into an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes so the bottom can develop a deep brown crust. Stir and continue cooking until browned and slightly crisp around the edges, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.
  • Return all of the beef to the skillet. Add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, white parts of the scallions, white pepper and sesame oil. Cook, stirring, until the garlic and ginger are fragrant and the beef is well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Make the coconut broth.

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds to wake up the spices.
  • Add the coconut milk and beef broth and whisk until the curry paste is completely incorporated. Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin, mirin, sesame oil and white pepper, if using.
  • Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not rapidly boil the coconut milk.
  • Taste and adjust as needed. Add a splash more soy sauce for saltiness, hoisin or mirin for sweetness or red curry paste for more heat and curry flavor.

Steam the bok choy.

  • Place the baby bok choy in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover and steam until bright green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Prepare the rice.

  • Heat the coconut rice according to the package directions. Divide the warm rice evenly among 4 shallow bowls.

Assemble the bowls.

  • Divide the crispy beef among the bowls, arranging it alongside the rice. Add 2 bok choy halves to each bowl.
  • Ladle about 3/4 cup of the hot coconut red curry broth around the rice and beef. Finish each bowl with sliced scallions, white sesame seeds and a generous squeeze of fresh lime. Serve immediately.

Notes

Don't rush the beef. Cooking it in two batches gives it enough room to make direct contact with the hot skillet and actually brown. If you add the entire pound at once, the moisture released from the beef can cause it to steam instead of developing those crispy edges.
And definitely taste your broth before serving. Soy sauce, curry paste and hoisin can vary quite a bit by brand, so use the measurements as your starting point and make the final adjustment based on your taste. You want the finished broth to be creamy and savory with a little sweetness and enough curry flavor to stand up to the coconut milk.