Star Anise Powder

Star Anise Powder is the ground fruit pericarp that comes from the Illicium Verum plant. As the name suggests, it has a mild, sweet aniseed flavour a little like liquorice and it has many uses both in and out of the kitchen. Being in powder form means it is more convenient to use than Whole Star Anise, if you’re in a hurry. This is one of the 5 ingredients of Chinese 5 Spice, along with Cassia, Black Pepper, Fennel Seed and Cloves. You can also add it to any custom spice blend of your own making.

Star Anise Powder is popular in many cuisines in the Far East and India, but you can find it recipes from all over. It is quite a potent spice, so a little goes a long way! Add some to marinades and rubs to add a delicious flavour, or use with sauces, stir frys and even baking. As with pretty much all spices, it’s usually best to grind your spices from whole versions. However, this isn’t always convenient, especially if you are using just one spice.

As with all herbs and spices, add a little at a time to get the flavour you want. You can always add more, but taking it out again can be impossible!

Nutritional Information/ 100g

• Energy/kcal – 337
• Energy/kJ – 1411
• Protein (g) – 17.6
• Fat (g) – 15.9
• Carbohydrate (g) – 50.02
• of which sugars (g) – 0.0
• Fibre (g) – 14.6
• Salt (g) – Trace