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Ground Star Anise
Star Anise has to be one of the more interesting things that people can eat! It’s shaped like the type of star you learn to draw when you’re in kindergarten and then promptly forget how to draw, simply applying it to all your papers by muscle memory alone. Sometimes it’s got five arms, sometimes it’s got more, just depends on genetics and how it grew. Star Anise, Illicium verum, will most frequently have eight arms however, and the Cantonese name for the spice, “baht gokh” means “eight points.” The arms can also be called carpals or petals, and if it’s got eight or more it’s thought to be good luck. You will find that your star anise will have between 5 and 12 arms.
Mostly composed on anethole, star anise has an essential oil content that ranges from 2.5% to 3.5%.
As it is used globally, Star Anise has names in various languages. In Arabic, it is “albadyan,” in Mandarin it is “bah jiao,” in French it will be called either “anis etoile” or “anis de la Chine,” in German it’s “sternanis,” in Hindi it’s “chakriphool,” for Japanese speakers the name is “suta anis,” for speakers of Portuguse the name is “anis estelado,” it’s “badyan” in Russian, and in Spanish it can be called “badian estrella” or “anis estrella.” It may also be called badian, staranise, or star aniseseed.
Contents Hide
- History of Star Anise
- Star Anise Cultivation
- Where is it from?
- What’s the Difference Between Star Anise and Anise Seed?
- What’s the Difference Between Chinese Star Anise and Japanese Star Anise?
- Cooking with Ground Star Anise
- Whole Star Anise vs Ground Star Anise
- What Does Ground Star Anise Taste Like?
- Substitutions and Conversions for Ground Star Anise
- Read More
History of Star Anise
This spice is best utilized in Eastern cuisines. It has long been used in dishes from China and Vietnam. In China it is thought that a Star Anise with 8 or more arms is extremely lucky, much like our American belief that a four-leaf clover is lucky. In Asia, the spice is not only used in spice blends like the delicious Chinese Five Spice, but it is also used to soothe stomach pains and sweeten breath after eating. Some people use it to soothe sore throats and ease coughs as well.
Star Anise first shows up in Europe during the 16th century, brought back by a sailor who had developed a liking for it on his travels to Asia. In became a popular ingredient for a variety of foods like jams, syrups, puddings, and various other desserts. Today, Europeans use it in sweets, preserves, and as a flavoring agent for chewing gums.
In the United States, this spice only really shows up around the holidays, since it is used primarily in baked goods here. Sometimes it is used in table potpourri for holiday table spreads, as it is so fragrant and lovely smelling. Because of its beautiful aesthetic appeal, it has also been used as a decoration in homes across the United States.
Star Anise has long been used for medicinal purposes as well! It is one of the sources of anti-flu medication in Tamiflu. In Asia, it has long been used as a remedy for colic, sore throats, and stomach aches. Whole Star Anise is chewed on after meals to aid in digestion.
Star Anise Cultivation
Star Anise is native to southern China and Vietnam but is now grown all over the world. Trees can be started with seeds or with cuttings. The fruit of these trees grows best in slightly acidic, well-drained, moist soils with good exposure to sunlight. The trees like shaded areas best however, as direct sunlight can be too much for them. They are not frost tolerant. As the trees are very slow growing, it takes a minimum of 6 years for the trees to produce star anise fruit, though it may take up to 15 years before the star anise starts appearing. The flowers of the tree will turn yellow just before they produce fruit. Once fruit production begins, the trees will continue to produce fruit year-round for up to 100 years! Star anise grows in green and then turns brown as it ages. Each fruit is roughly an inch in diameter and every individual petal holds a small, polished, very shiny, tan colored seed.
Where is it from?
Our Ground Star Anise comes from China.
What’s the Difference Between Star Anise and Anise Seed?
Aside from their shapes, Star Anise and Anise Seed are different in terms of flavor as well. Anise Seed is an herb, while Star Anise is a fruit. Anise Seed has more essential oil, but Star Anise has a much more intense flavor
What’s the Difference Between Chinese Star Anise and Japanese Star Anise?
Morphologically identical to Chinese Star Anise, Japanese Star Anise is Illicium anisatum, not Illicium verum. Japanese Star Anise is extremely toxic to humans and should not be consumed. In industrial settings, Star anise are carefully examined before they are dried to ensure that they are only the Chinese Star Anise and not Japanese Star Anise. Japanese Star Anise only have one use- this is to be burned as an incense.
Cooking with Ground Star Anise
Star Anise is a very unique ingredient with plenty of uses. In the US, we predominantly use Star Anise in our baked goods, but it can also be good on ice creams or in sauces or stews. It’s also well-suited for flavoring red meats. It is most frequently used as an accent flavor, not necessarily the star of the show. The recipe for Chinese Chicken Soup is nearly identical to the US recipe for chicken soup, with one minor addition- Star Anise! Adding just a little of this spice adds layers of complex flavor and aroma, making the soup richer. Too much can overpower a dish.
Star Anise is a key spice in Chinese cuisine especially. Other spices that are part of this cuisine that you may be familiar with are ginger, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns. The licorice flavor of Star Anise is used in “red” dishes, particularly things like braised duck, chicken, or pork. It is also a key ingredient in Chinese Five Spice, and may be used in other Eastern spice blends like Garam Masala or Masala Chai. Star Anise is an ingredient in biryanis, a Persian rice dish. It’s also popular in Vietnamese dishes, like Pho. In Thailand, there’s a milk tea made with Star Anise, sugar, and other spices. It’s also used in Kashmiri cooking.
Ground Star Anise is a favorite in baking circles! It’s unlike many other spices in that it can infuse it’s flavor into both water and fat-based liquids, making it a perfect match for your fruit salad or your fruit tart! Try it in apple pie, gingerbread, or spice cake.
It is great with chicken, fish, figs, citrus, pumpkin, pork, soy sauce, and root vegetables. When used in combination with other spices, try it with mint, cinnamon, ginger, chiles, coriander, fennel, garlic, lemongrass, Sichuan peppercorns, and black pepper.
Whole Star Anise vs Ground Star Anise
Star Anise is much more flavorful when left whole, and then ground up on an as needed basis. Spices that are ground will lose their essential oils to evaporation much more quickly, so some chefs prefer to keep whole spices on hand to grind in small batches.
With that said, our ground spices are still extremely flavorful. Unlike grocery store spices, we do not let our spices sit on a shelf for years before they are packed and shipped out to you. Our ground spices are some of the most flavorful you will ever encounter. When stored correctly, your Ground Star Anise will last for up to a year and remain very flavorful. Keep it in a cool, dark, dry place for the best storage results.
What Does Ground Star Anise Taste Like?
Ground Star Anise tastes somewhat sweet and has a definitive licorice taste to it. It will also deliver a warming sensation, or mild numbing effect, to the mouth once consumed.
Substitutions and Conversions for Ground Star Anise
A great substitute for Ground Star Anise is Ground Anise Seed. When using this as a substitute however, keep in mind that Star Anise is much stronger than Anise Seed, and so you will only need about 1/3 of the amount of Ground Star Anise than you would if you were using Ground Anise Seed.
Read More
Holiday Spice Guide
Asian Spices and Seasonings
What the Heck Do I Do With Star Anise?