The star in the kitchen
Also called badiane, this spice owes its name to its regular star shape with 8 branches.
The star anise has a strong taste, close to the green anise, with a hint of hot and round of laurel, clove and cinnamon. It is a spice commonly used in Asia and it is also part of the 5 Chinese spices. It accompanies duck, braised beef, beef soups, Chinese and Vietnamese broths as well as teas.
In France, star anise clears bitterness in certain beers or infusions, and it scents alcoholic beverages such as pastis and anisette. It can also surprise in gingerbreads, biscuits, or with citrus ...
To bring a touch of exoticism, you can introduce a whole star of star anise and an onion inside a duck or a chicken just before roasting or sliding a star in the water of cooking rice or pasta.
Properties
The star anise purifies the breath and it also enters the composition of some toothpastes.
In infusion, it calms dry cough and stomach upset (dyspepsia and bloating). It is particularly indicated in case of flu.
Beware, however, of its high dose toxicity due to its active ingredient anethole. Always follow the following tips: never more than 3 stars per cup and no cure longer than 8 days.
History
The star anise has been used for millennia by the Chinese, whether in the traditional pharmacopoeia as currency.
In ancient Japan, the bark of the tree was burned and used as incense.
Marco Polo kept a long secret of its origin as it was an expensive spice. It was later reported in Europe where it was successful in many alcoholic beverages such as absinthe or pastis.
Plant
The star anise is an evergreen shrub native to China, Japan, and warm regions of America that can reach 8 meters.
The tree only bears fruit after 6 years and then produces it for a hundred years! Picked before maturity, the fruits are then dried in the sun, where they go from a green color to the brown color that we know. And it is the yellow flowers that give birth to the fruits.
