Season the beef with sweet onion, shallots, garlic, ginger, anise star, cinnamon, fish sauce, chicken powder, chili powder, black pepper, and a splash of red wine.
Sauté everything until the beef is nicely browned on the outside (like a rich, dark sear).
Blend tomatoes into a liquid and pour that into the pot with the beef. Add about 1 liter of water.
Chop up carrots and potatoes, toss them into the pot, and cook until they're tender.
Mix some tapioca starch with 20ml of water, then stir it into the pot to give the broth that silky texture.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with some crusty bread.
