NEWS

Ways to use Star Anise

Star anise grows as dark brown pods with eight segments, each containing a pea-sized seed. This spice hails from an evergreen tree plant that is native to southern China and northeast Vietnam, although it is cultivated in countries like Laos, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Star anise tastes much like standard anise seed, but slightly more bitter, which is why some chefs use it to provide a licorice flavor for some dishes.

Star anise is famed not only for its distinct flavor and culinary applications but also for its medicinal benefits.

* It is used to flavor vegetables, meat, and marinate meat. It is used as a condiment for flavoring curries, confectionaries, spirits, and for pickling. It is also used in perfumery. The essential oil of star anise is used to flavor soft drinks, bakery products, and liquors.

* The the fruit is anti-bacterial, carminative, diuretic and stomachic. It is considered useful in flatulence and spasmodic.

If you’re just getting started cooking with star anise, you should start adding it to your dishes slowly. Too many pods can overpower a dish, making it bitter and unpleasant to eat. If you’re adding it to a soup or stew, try using one or two pods to start. This can be enough to impart a flavor, without obliterating the rest of the dish.

Try adding whole pods to soups or stews that are made with beef or chicken, like this Pho with beef and noodles, or this chicken soup with shiitake mushrooms. A single pod can elevate a batch of homemade tomato sauce, too.

You can also use the whole pods to mull wine, cider or beer, like in my spiced apple cider recipe. It ‘s also nice in a fruity Christmas punch.

Grated or ground star anise works well desserts like gingerbread, chocolate cake or brownies