Star Anise (Whole)

Star Anise is Highly Versatile

A popular Vietnamese and Chinese spice , star anise has a unique flavour that makes it popular in a range of Asian dishes, commonly used in Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese cooking. At The Spice Cupboard, we offer whole star anise which is perfect for ingredients for recipes, or to make star anise tea which has several excellent health benefits. For more information, get in touch with The Spice Cupboard now to speak to one of our suppliers of spices and seasonings!

What is Star Anise?

Whole Star Anise – also known as Chinese Star Anise – is the 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. You can crush it down and use it to flavour all kinds of dishes including soups, stir fry’s, marinades and sauces and anything else you want to bring this flavour to. Star Anise 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 is often used as a garnish, left whole. The star shape is great for adding interest to food presentation, and many people use them at Christmas time to flavour festive drinks. There is also use for Star Anise in Crafts, too! We have seen them strung together and hung up, on wreaths and other decorations, used in fragrances and more! We’re friends with the people at Minions of Craft, if you’re looking for a great source of craft supplies! Please note that due to the nature of the spice, sometimes there aren’t complete pieces in the pack, making them best for grinding and cooking with. If you want to use them for craft, you may not find what you want. We have included an image of the back of a typical pack so you can see what you’d most likely receive.

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!