Star Anise

Star anise is the unusual fruit of a small oriental tree. It is, as the name suggests, star-shaped, radiating between five and ten pointed boat-shaped sections, about eight on average. These hard sections are seed pods. Tough skinned and rust-colored, they measure up to 3cm (1-1/4”) long. The fruit is picked before it can ripen, and dried. The stars are available whole or ground to a red-brown powder.