Recipe of the Week: Vietnamese Beef Stew - Balance In Motion

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons pastured lard ( find it here )
• 1 tablespoon annatto seeds ( available here )
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots, from about 4 shallots
• 2 small Thai chiles finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated garlic, from 6 large cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 4 lemongrass stalks, trimmed of tough parts and crushed
• 2 whole star anise ( available here )
• 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick ( available here )
• 2 1/2 pounds of grass-fed beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-2 inch chunks ( find grass-fed beef here )
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes ( available here in glass jars )
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce ( I buy this kind. )
• 3 cups warmed beef bone broth
• 1 medium roughly chopped onion
• 1 extra large carrot sliced into thick pieces
• 1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
• Sea salt, as needed
• Thai Basil, Cilantro and Lime, to serve