Whole Star Anise (Aniseed)

Produit livré en sachet refermable

Sans OGM - Sans ionisation - 

Pour info, 1 cuillère à soupe bombée de badiane contient de 8 à 10g environ

Uses in Cooking:

Its aniseed and fresh aroma is more powerful than that of green anise, primarily due to the anethole it contains.

Star anise is widely used in Europe for making spirits (such as pastis and ouzo), where it has gradually replaced traditional green anise.

In baking, it can be used either ground or infused in warm milk or another liquid to flavor cakes, including gingerbread. It’s also excellent in certain jams (like melon), as well as with fish (especially alongside ginger), and in fish soups, to which it imparts an unparalleled aroma.

Star anise is an essential ingredient in mulled wines, along with cinnamon and a few cloves. For those who enjoy its taste, it can also be infused into fruit salads.

After use, the star anise can be rinsed and dried to serve as a component in potpourri or as a decorative element for the home. You can keep it natural, or, if you prefer, spray-paint it gold to decorate a Christmas tree or a festive table during the holidays!

In an infusion, using 3 or 4 stars per cup of boiling water (steep for several minutes, reheating if necessary), it helps relieve bloating by aiding digestion. Star anise is also one of the many active compounds found in Tamiflu, a recognized antiviral for human, avian, and swine flus.

Who am I?

Origin: China

Scientific name: Illicium verum Hook

Common names: Siberian anise, Chinese fennel

The fruit is stunning, with its warm brown color, shiny seeds inside the "stars," and its delightful anise aroma! It generally consists of 8 boat-shaped follicles of varying sizes, arranged radially around a central stem. Due to the product's fragility, some stars may break during handling.

Star anise is the fruit of a tropical shrub from the Magnoliaceae family, the Chinese star anise tree, and 90% of the world's production is harvested in China's Jiangxi province. The tree is also found in Cambodia and Vietnam. It can grow up to 8 meters tall, with green, elongated, and evergreen leaves. The flowers are large and yellow. The fruit consists of an eight-pointed star, each point containing a shiny seed.

The fruits are harvested green before being sun-dried to turn reddish-brown. There are two harvests per year, in April and October.

There is also a Japanese star anise, banned from import into France due to its toxicity in high doses.

A Little History:

Star anise has been used in China since ancient times for its medicinal properties.

It was introduced to Europe during the time of Marco Polo and used by practitioners of the era. However, it did not become widely used until the Renaissance when it was imported by the English.

In the Middle Ages, star anise was rare, highly coveted, and therefore very expensive.