Star anise
八角 / bājiǎo; hồi
- Flavor and role
- A star-shaped fruit with 8 points, giving a sweet, strong liquorice-like aroma. Even a little is potent, so add only 1-2 to broths and braises.
- Typical dishes and uses
- Pho broth, hong shao rou, Dongpo pork, Taiwanese beef noodle soup, five-spice powder, masala chai. In this book: pho bo and beef noodle soup broths.
- Substitutes
- 1 star anise = ¼ tsp five-spice powder or ½ tsp fennel seeds. If you have none, the dish still works without it.
- Storage
- Whole and airtight in a cool place, it keeps for 2 years or more. Replace it when the points crumble and the aroma is weak.
- Main countries
- China · Vietnam
- Used in this book
- Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)Ayam Masak MerahBunny Chow (Durban Chicken Curry in a Loaf)Gua Bao (Taiwanese Pork Belly Bun)Red-Braised Pork Belly (Hong Shao Rou)Beef rendangRoti Jala with Chicken CurryAsado Negro Bánh Mì (Venezuelan × Vietnamese)Kenduri-Style Ayam Masak Merah, Double-Fried with Coconut FinishMasak Merah Chicken Parmigiana (Malaysian × Italian)Masak Merah Chicken Puffs with Sweet Chilli MayoBone Broth Red-Braised Beef Noodle SoupBeef Noodle TsukemenRed-Braised Beef Rice BowlThai Iced Tea BobaDurban Lamb Bunny with Fresh-Ground MasalaHyderabadi Chicken Dum BiryaniDan Dan Noodles with Aromatic Red Oil and Fresh Sesame PasteGalbi Pho (Vietnamese Pho × Galbitang)Mala Gamjatang (Sichuan-Spiced Pork Rib and Potato Stew)Caramel-Braised Pork Belly Gua Bao with Milk BunsToasted-Spice Kelewele with Roasted Groundnuts and Lime Chilli SaltKongnamul Haejang Phở (Korean × Vietnamese)Hand-Cut Lu Rou Fan with Shiitake and Caramel BraiseSlow-Braised Beef Shin Massaman with Whole SpicesRed-Braised Osso Buco with Ginger-Scallion GremolataPhở Đặc Biệt with 4-Hour Oxtail BrothPhở French Dip SandwichShanghai-Style Red-Braised Pork with Braised EggsRed-Braised Pork Belly with Aged Kimchi and Tofu (Chinese × Korean)Red-Braised Pork Belly Bao with Peanut Crumble and Quick PicklesPadang-style dry rendangOvernight-Rested Roti Canai with Malaysian Chicken Curry (Kari Ayam)Roti Jala with Fresh Rempah Chicken CurryPho-Spiced Chicken Sancocho with Rice Noodles (Colombian × Vietnamese)Thousand-Layer Scallion Pancakes with Homemade Scallion OilTafelspitz Pho (Austrian × Vietnamese)
Updated 2026-10-10