Star Anise in Cooking
Star anise is a spice frequently used in Asian cuisine and is a major component of five-spice powder. In its dried form, star anise resembles a star or flower with a seed in each of its eight pods. Does this Spark an idea?
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About
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Star anise comes from a small Asian evergreen tree which is a type of magnolia. It is native to China. The star anise fruit is harvested while still green and unripe and allowed to dry in the sun. Other common names for star anise include Chinese anise and anise stars.
Flavor
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Star anise has a sweet, licorice-like flavor much like aniseed, but more bitter. Its characteristics are similar to clove and cassia. Its scent is pungent and also resembles that of licorice.
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Uses
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Asians use star anise as a flavoring in savory dishes, particularly pork, duck and stir-fries. It is also used as a flavoring for tea. In Western cuisine the spice is used in baked goods and for flavoring liqueurs.
Adding to Cooking
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Because of its pungency, only a small pinch of ground star anise is needed to flavor a dish. Use a single whole star anise in soups and sauces to avoid overpowering other flavors.
Buying and Storing
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With proper storage star anise will last up to five years. Star anise is available as either whole pods or as a ground powder. Look for whole star anise that gives off its distinctive scent when a single pod is squeezed and popped. Fresh ground star anise should also have a pungent aroma. Store both varieties away from heat, light and humidity in an airtight container.
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References
- Photo Credit a plate of anise stars image by Flashon Studio from Fotolia.com Star anise image by Vadim_Rogol from Fotolia.com
