Grab These 8 Spices When You're out of Star Anise
No star anise on hand to boost a recipe? Try one of our aromatic substitutes.
What Is Star Anise?
Star anise is the licorice-like spice that can be found in many Asian and South Asian cuisines.
It comes from the fruit of the Chinese evergreen tree, which is found in Southeast Asia and is named for the unique star-shaped pod. Each pod has a single seed and both the seed and pod are used in cooking. Anethole, an essential oil, gives star anise its trademark licorice-like flavor.
Star anise is used in sweet and savory dishes for desserts and pastries, as well as noodle soups, stews, curries, broths, and meat dishes. It's used both whole and ground.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About Star Anise
Best Star Anise Substitutes
What are reasonable substitute ingredients that can stand in for this distinct spice shaped like small wooden stars with potent and fragrant flavor?
If star anise is not available, there are substitutions that can deliver the same licorice-like and musky notes of flavor to a recipe.
Chinese Five Spice
Chinese five spice is known as the best choice for an alternative to ground star anise since it is a prominent part of this spice combination.
The mixture also includes earthy cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and fennel seeds.
Chinese five spice can replace ground star anise in a recipe. The blend is more intense than star anise on its own, so work with a ratio of 1/2 of the amount of what the recipe calls for.
Cloves
Cloves are a reasonable substitute for star anise, lending sweetness and warmth. They also bring out a slightly bitter note for savory dishes for meats and stews. Use a smaller amount of clove than the amount of star anise called for, as they have a stronger presence in the dish.
Allspice
The name for allspice sounds like a blend of several spices but it is actually a single spice. It lends a taste combination of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
There is a distinct difference between star anise and allspice in their flavor. Allspice does not not have the licorice taste of star anise.
Allspice can be used as a straight swap for star anise. A pinch of sugar or pepper can elevate the spice substitution.
Related: What Is Allspice?
Caraway Seeds and Tarragon
Caraway seeds are known for a woodsy taste with hints of licorice. Tarragon has notes of vanilla, mint, and eucalyptus. The combination of these two ingredients creates a taste similar to star anise.
An equal mix of a teaspoon of caraway seeds and dried tarragon can replace star anise in a recipe. Caraway seeds can become bitter the longer they are cooked so they should be added in toward the end of cooking.
Cassia Bark Powder
Cassia bark powder is also known as Chinese cinnamon. Most versions of ground cinnamon you buy at the grocery store are made of ground cassia bark. This spice will add warmth and help enrich the overall flavor of the dish but it will not have an exact licorice flavor.
Add a ½ teaspoon cassia bark powder or ground cinnamon in place of 1 teaspoon star anise.
Related: What Is Anise and How Do I Use It?
Licorice Root
Licorice root is a straightforward swap ingredient for star anise.
Use it as an even exchange in desserts and savory recipes for meat dishes and vibrant soups. Start with a small amount; it is a full-on licorice presence and adjust according to taste.
Anise Seeds
The similar licorice-like flavor of star anise and anise seeds make these two ingredients compatible substitutes for each other. Star anise has a much stronger flavor, so you will need to cut the amount in half when substituting it for anise seed. Twice the amount of anise seed should be used when substituting for star anise.
Star anise has a more bitter presence than anise seed but both will give the licorice highlight to a recipe.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel bulbs are a vegetable known for having a licorice taste with the strongest concentration of flavor in the seeds. Fennel is a bit lighter in taste than anise.
Fennel seeds can be a bit of a dominant presence and overpower a dish if too much of the ingredient is used. Use only a ¼ of the amount of what a recipe calls for with star anise. This substitution ratio can be used for the whole pod of star anis and the ground version.
Related:
Read the original article on All Recipes.
