Star Anise

Star anise is a spice native to China and Vietnam, instantly recognisable by its star-shaped fruit with eight points, each containing a shiny seed. It has a sweet, intensely aromatic flavour reminiscent of liquorice or anise, owing to its high content of anethole. It is widely used in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indian cuisine, it is a key component of Chinese five-spice powder and a defining flavour in Vietnamese phở broth. In European cooking, it appears in gingerbread, mulled wine, compotes, and liqueurs. It is typically added whole during cooking and removed before serving. It also has a long history of use in traditional medicine for aiding digestion.