From the look of it, you might think star anise belongs in a potpourri bowl and not a soup bowl.
But you would be wrong. Star anise has a licorice-like aroma and an enticing warm, spicy-sweet flavor that enhances savory and sweet dishes _ from Vietnamese pho and Chinese barbecue pork to poached pears and pineapple upside-down cake.
You've probably tasted it in Indian food or in a warm cup of mulled red wine. Star anise is a key ingredient in Italian sambuca and French pastis liqueurs. It is also one of the components in the famous Chinese Five-Spice powder (along with cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and Szechuan pepper) and in the Indian spice blend garam masala. It is very similar in flavor to aniseed, but the two are unrelated.
Star anise is dried slices of the star anise fruit native to southern China, with anywhere from five to 10 points to the star _ thus its name. The rust-colored spice can be used whole or ground. Use whole or broken pieces to add a sweet-licorice-peppery flavor to stews, soups, stocks, cocktails, jams and desserts. Be sure to remove it from the dish before serving.
As with all spices, I prefer grinding star anise as needed, since the pre-ground spice loses its flavor quickly. The powder can be used for flavoring dishes with duck, pork or poultry. Just remember to use the spice in moderation since it can be quite pungent. Whole or ground star anise is available in most supermarkets or online.
The dried whole star anise spice will last for a year if kept stored airtight in a cool, dark, dry space; while the ground spice will be fresh for about six months.
