The Star Anise or Anise Seed,good remedy and useful seed step from ancient world.

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Spice Description:Star Anise.

Star Anise extract INCI Name Illicium verum Extract Anise extract.Anise Seed extract Star Anise Fruit Fructus Anisi Stellati photo picture image A star-shaped, dark brown pod that contains a pea-size seed in each of its eight segments. Native to China, star anise comes from a small evergreen tree. Although the flavor of its seeds is derived from anethol (the same oil that gives anise seed its pronounced flavor), star anise has a different heritage-the magnolia family. Its flavor is slightly more bitter than that of regular anise seed. In Asian cuisines, star anise is a commonly used spice and tea flavoring. It's also widely used to flavor liqueurs and baked goods in Western cultures. It can be found whole in Asian markets and some supermarkets, and as a ground ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder.

 Star anise is the unusual fruit of a small oriental tree. It is, as the name suggests, star shaped, radiating between five and ten pointed boat-shaped sections, about eight on average. These hard sections are seed pods. Tough skinned and rust coloured, they measure up to 3cm (1-1/4") long. The fruit is picked before it can ripen, and dried. The stars are available whole, or ground to a red-brown powder.

 Bouquet: Powerful and liquorice-like, more pungent and stronger than anise.

 Flavour: Evocative of a bitter aniseed, of which flavour star anise is a harsher version. Nervertheless, the use of star anise ensures an authentic touch in the preparation of certain Chinese dishes.

 Taste and Aroma:Anise Seeds smell and taste like licorice.

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citations1.The Star Anise or Anise Seed,good remedy and useful seed step from ancient world.

last edit date:2nd,June.2009.