The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | SWEET WARMING PHENOLS | Star Anise 91

BLENDS TO TRY

Try these recipes for classic blends

featuring star anise, or why not adapt

them with some blending science?

Vindaloo paste p44

Burmese garam masala p48

Shandong spice bag p58

Nanjing spice bag p59

Five-spice powder p60

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

BLENDING SCIENCE

Star anise shares the anethole flavour compound with anise, fennel, and liquorice,

even though they are from unrelated plants. Anethole is 13 times sweeter than table

sugar, and gives the spice its sweetness. The overall flavour profile is more complex

than that of other anethole spices, and features linalool’s alluring floral flavour.

FOOD PARTNERS

Vegetables Add a pod to braised

leeks, cabbage, or fennel; sprinkle the

ground spice over pumpkin, root veg,

and swede before roasting; add a pinch

to sweet vegetable purées.

Rice Put a whole pod in the pan

when cooking basmati or sticky Thai

rice – its delicate, sweet flavour

complements biryanis and pilaus.

Beef, pork Use the whole spice

to add a freshness to an oxtail stew,

or add to Chinese slow-braised pork.

Seafood Mix star anise, ginger,

and peppercorns in the saucepan

before adding clams or mussels and

wine or a splash of sherry or Pernod

for a Vietnamese-style dish.

Fruit preserves Combine with

quince, figs, apples, apricots, and

tropical fruits such as pineapple and

mango to add a fresh liquorice taste.

ANETHOLE

sweet | liquorice |

warming

Kitchen

creativity

Star anise is essential to Chinese cuisine and indispensable to five-spice powder.

In South India, it may be added to a biryani and used in versions of garam

masala. Vietnamese pho would be incomplete without its distinctive flavour.

Dry fry at 130–180°C

(266–356°F) to create nutty

pyrazine compounds.

Cooking with alliums creates

meaty flavours when sulphur

reacts with the anethole.

Use oil and alcohol (e.g. rice

wine, fermented soy sauce) to

disperse the anethole.

Slow cook with whole pods

to allow time for the flavours

to escape the woody husk.

CINEOLE

eucalyptus |

mildly medicinal |

penetrating

pair with similarly

sweet and/or warming

spices:

nutmeg, mace, and

allspice possess eugenol

that synergizes with anethole;

nutmeg and mace also

share terpineol for fresh,

woody notes

cinnamon has a sweet,

warming spiciness that

complements anethole

add heft to traces of

fresh, herbal tanginess

by combining with more

phellandrene spices:

peppercorn brings a

lingering spicy heat

dill also features limonene

for a stronger citrus edge

draw out the underlying

eucalyptus notes with

more cineole spices:

cardamom also

enhances floral notes

through shared linalool

bay adds pine-like notes,

and shares linalool for

fresh, floral aromas and a

slight bitterness

black cardamom and

grains of Selim will lend

an appetizing wood smoke

aroma to the blend

galangal and ginger

also make excellent, fresh,

and zesty pairings

PHELLANDRENE

green | peppery |

citrus

Much of the flavour is locked up in

the hard carpels of the pods, which

protect the seeds and contain

concentrated flavour compounds

that evolved to repel pests. There

are various ways to release and

enhance that distinctive flavour.

STAR ANISE

St

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