Star Anise

Where it comes from

Star anise is the dried fruit of Illicium verum, a small evergreen tree native to the mountainous border between Yunnan, China, and Lang Son, Vietnam. The fruit forms a wood-hard, star-shaped follicle with a glossy brown seed in each chamber. Harvest and drying yield the distinctive eight-pointed stars.

Flavor & pairing

Though unrelated botanically to anise, star anise contains even higher concentrations of anethole, producing a more powerful sweetness with smoky, woody undertones. The aroma penetrates broths and braises in minutes; one pod can perfume an entire pot.

How it’s used

Vietnamese pho cannot exist without star anise — it joins charred ginger, cloves, and cassia in the long beef-bone simmer. Chinese five-spice powder uses it as the dominant note. Indian biryani and garam masala often include a single pod. French and Scandinavian cooks add it to compotes and mulled wines.

Trade history

Until the recent synthesis of Tamiflu, shikimic acid from star anise was a primary source of the antiviral drug, briefly causing global shortages during bird-flu scares.