Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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(Text)ExOTIC SPICES- 243 –
Light: Full sun
Soil: Moist, rich, well drained
Plant: Cuttings or seeds. Seeds must be fresh in order
to germinate, within a few days of harvesting.
Water: Regularly, to keep the soil consistently moist
Harvest: Seedlings take about 3 years to develop into
larger trees, at which point they should be transplanted
to their permanent site. After at least 6 years, when
the fruits appear and grow to about 1 inch in size, they
should be ready for harvest, still green and unripe.
Care: Weed regularly and add mulch for nutrients.
After the first harvest, healthy trees usually fruit 3 times per year, providing spice all
year long.Keep It Fresh
Fresh-picked star anise is dried in the sun
until brown and hard. The seeds some-
times pop out during drying.
Store whole or broken fruits in an air-
tight container in a cool, dark, dry loca-
tion, where it will stay fresh for about a
year. Ground star anise should be stored
the same way for up to 3 months. To
check freshness, smell the spice for its
trademark licorice fragrance.In the Kitchen
Dishes: soups, stocks, stir-fries, mari-
nades, braises, rice, curries, liqueurs, syr-
ups, fruit compotes
Prep: Use fruits whole or break into
chunks; remove before serving. Though
hard, star anise can be ground (with
seeds) using a mortar and pestle or an
electric grinder. For the ground spice, consider buying small amounts from a shop.
Serve: In Chinese cuisine, star anise is a staple spice for soups, fatty meats, and
traditional “red-cooking” or braising. It’s also essential in Vietnamese pho. Its warm
licorice flavor also naturally lends itself to sweet dishes, as it’s most commonly used in
the West. Use very sparingly; a couple star anise fruits will flavor an entire dish.SUBSTITUTIONS
- Anise seed + a
pinch of allspice - 1 star anise fruit =
(^1) ⁄ 2 teaspoon anise
seed
- Chinese five-spice
powder
PAIRINGS
Fruits and Vegetables:
carrots, leeks, lemons, onions,
oranges, pears, pumpkin, shallots,
tomatoes
Proteins: almonds, beef, chicken,
duck, fish and seafood, pork
Seasonings: allspice, basil,
cardamom, cassia, chili peppers,
cilantro, cinnamon, cloves,
coriander seeds, cumin, fennel,
fish sauce, garlic, ginger, honey,
lemon juice and zest, nutmeg,
pepper, sesame seeds, Sichuan
pepper, soy sauce, vanillaJob:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:242
Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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