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Chinese Beef Stew with Chickpeas and Star Anise

Chinese Beef Stew with Chickpeas and Star Anise

By Courtney HillOctober 15, 2019

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    2¼ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active

This hearty, aromatic stew is our adaptation of a recipe from “Hot Sour Salty Sweet” by cookbook authors Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, who explain that the dish comes from the Hui people of Yunnan province in western China. We use beef shanks in our version, as the bones contribute amazing richness and body to the broth, thereby allowing us to skip the step of browning the meat, a flavor-building technique used in many braises. Without searing, the broth boasts a clean, pure beefiness, so the spices—star anise, five-spice powder and Sichuan peppercorns—have a bold presence, yielding warm, subtly sweet and tingling peppery notes that bring depth and complexity. A generous dose of herbs adds freshness. Serve with steamed or stir-fried greens and rice or warmed flatbread.

Tip

Don't add all of the chickpeas to the pot with the beef. We add only half with the meat; with long cooking, these chickpeas soften, adding body to the braising liquid. We add the remaining chickpeas at the end so they retain their texture and contrast the tender beef.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 2

    bunches scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green tops cut into 1-inch lengths, reserved separately

  • 1

    bunch fresh cilantro, stems minced, leaves roughly chopped, reserved separately

  • 4

    star anise pods

  • 2

    teaspoons sichuan peppercorns, ground

  • 2

    teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

  • ¼

    cup soy sauce

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    pounds bone-in beef shanks (about 1 inch thick), trimmed

  • 2

    15½-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • Sichuan chili oil, to serve (optional)

Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering.

Add the garlic, scallion whites, cilantro stems, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and five-spice powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the scallions begin to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the soy sauce, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper, then add the beef shanks and half the chickpeas. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until a skewer inserted into the meat meets no resistance, 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once halfway through.

Step 2

Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the beef to a medium bowl. Remove and discard the star anise pods.

When the shanks are cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and return to the pot; discard the bones and gristle.

Stir in the remaining chickpeas and cook over medium until the meat is heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Off heat, stir in the reserved scallion greens and cilantro leaves. Serve drizzled with chili oil (if using).

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