Star Anise

Star Anise
What happens when a spice star from the sky falls down to your recipe? It becomes a dish with a taste that has a long-lasting effect. Star Anise is that spice. The buds of Star Anise are divided into eight parts and have a star-like shape which is up to an inch long and small seeds like linseed are present inside these beans. It is used usually after cooking; it smells strong so it is used as a Garam masala. The taste is similar to that of licorice and fennel. It is cultivated mainly in India, Cambodia, the Philippines and Jamaica.

Cooking and use:

Apart from adding to Indian stews and curries, they can also be added while cooking rice for pulao or biryani. But, before serving, they are removed from the cooked rice. If one wishes to enjoy a healthy cup of green tea it will accompany best with honey. In South India, Star anise is used to make rasam and sambar. It is also a major spice used in Chinese dishes, where the contents are boiled for a long time in dark soya sauce. Like most of the aromatic spices, Star Anise is also stored in an airtight container in a cool and dark place. If stored well, they can be kept for a few months.

Health benefits of Star Anise:

• Often used in traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen digestion and to relieve stomach aches in children.
• The anethole compound in Star Anise has anti-microbial properties. These properties can be beneficial in reducing infections caused by bacteria, fungal and yeast.
• Use of star anise in aromatherapy may reduce cough, colic, cramps, hiccups and indigestion problems.
• It is considered beneficial in the treatment of wrinkles because it acts as a natural skin toner.
• It is an effective cure for sleeplessness disorder and Insomnia by taking Star Anise with milk.