Star anise
The major products from star anise are the seeds (fruit), which are the spice. They are used as flavouring in a wide range of food and drinks including, chewing gum, baked goods, gelatine, meat and meat products, liqueurs and brandies. They are also a constituent of Chinese five spices, and in India and Pakistan, it is a major constituent of garam masala and also one of the ingredients in a dish called ‘Biryani’. If you are in Vietnam and digging in Vietnamese noodles, Pho, you can easily tell from the taste that it has been flavoured with star anise and true is that it is used as a major ingredient in Pho. The dried ripe fruit is also found in pot-pourris.
