Star anise

(Anice stellato, তারকা মৌরি, L’anis étoilé or चक्र फूल)

Obtained from a medium-sized native evergreen tree of northeast Vietnam and southwest China, star anise is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor. It is also known as star aniseed, or Chinese star anise for its star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum. Star anise enhances the flavor of meat. It is widely used as a spice in preparation of biryani and masala chai all over the Indian subcontinent. It is also widely used in Chinese cuisine, and in Malay and Indonesian cuisines. It is now widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other countries in Asia. Star anise is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. It is also a major ingredient in the making of phở, a Vietnamese noodle soup.