32 star anise recipes

Crispy skinned red snapper crusted with eight spices including Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, and cumin. Pan-seared then oven-roasted for shatteringly crisp skin.

A multi-day Sichuan duck project: dry-rubbed with toasted spiced salt, air-dried overnight, steamed, battered, and deep-fried to shattering crispness. Includes a tea-smoked variation. Worth every step.

Chinese crispy beef shin marinated with star anise and cinnamon, simmered, frozen, sliced paper-thin, deep-fried, then tossed with caramelized sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

Wine fruit cup with sliced plums, nectarines, and golden raisins soaked in a spiced white wine syrup infused with anise, cinnamon, and lemon. A chilled starter that doubles as a light summer dessert.

Lemon anise biscotti with fresh lemon zest and star anise, twice-baked until crisp and golden. A crunchy Italian cookie that stores for a month and pairs beautifully with espresso.

Five-spice tofu simmered in soy sauce, star anise, and molasses for a deeply savory, aromatic Chinese-style appetizer. Make-ahead and keeps in the fridge for a week.

A fragrant homemade Chinese ten-spice blend with toasted star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Toast, grind, and store for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and meat rubs.

Roasted duck with a green peppercorn and star anise sauce made from homemade duck giblet broth. The duck is salt-poached first, then roasted until crispy. A refined French-inspired main course.

Whole duck gets blanched, coated in a sweet-spicy glaze of brown sugar, ginger, and star anise, then roasted until the skin turns crackling-crisp for rolling into Chinese pancakes with hoisin and scallions.

Warming beef congee with rice simmered to a thick, silky porridge in stock with star anise, ginger, and garlic. Rump steak and snow peas stir in at the end for a hearty one-pot bowl.

Pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) with oxtail broth, charred onion, star anise, and fish sauce poured boiling over rice noodles and paper-thin raw beef that cooks in the hot broth. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and lemon.

Asian-style baby back ribs oven-braised then grilled with a star anise, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and rice vinegar marinade. A two-day recipe with deep, complex flavor.

Mongolian barbecue is a tableside grilling experience with thinly sliced lamb, fresh vegetables, and a star anise soy-rice wine sauce. Interactive feast for 8 guests.

Thai-style green curry made with chickpeas, a homemade green chili paste, apple juice, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter, vegetarian take on the takeout favourite, served over rice.

Asian-style Cornish hen wraps split hen breasts around asparagus spears and steams them in a bamboo steamer over rice with bok choy, broccoli, and peppers. Elegant pan-Asian dinner.

Pigs' ears salad simmers the ears with star anise and ginger until tender, then slivers them cold with carrots, cucumber, and plum sauce. A classic Chinese cold appetizer with gelatinous crunch.