Chinese Beef Stew with Chickpeas and Star Anise

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.