Bearing the heady fragrance of liquorice, star anise is used in the East as aniseed is in the West. It is one of the ingredients in Chinese five spice, and Chinese stocks and soups very often contain star anise, as do many other traditional Chinese dishes.
With a deeper perfume and sweetness than fennel or aniseed, the flavour of star anise pairs exceptionally well with pork and duck. In Europe, star anise is added to fruit compotes and jams, as well as anisette liqueurs.
Also known as: Badian, Chinese Anise