Star Anise
Bunga Lawang
Star anise, or bunga lawang, is a spice that is commonly used in Malay, Indian and Nyonya cooking. It comes from the tree that goes by the scientific name Illicium verum. The star anise is the pericarp (you can say the pod, for want of a more commonly understood definition). The Hokkien name for star anise is pek-kak, meaning "eight sides", in reference to its eight petals.
The flavour of the star anise comes from the chemical anethole. It finds its way into both Chinese as well as Indian cuisine. With the Chinese (and Nyonya), the star anise is a component of the five-spice powder (ngo-hyong hoon) while with the Indians, it takes its place as a component of garam masala.
At home, my wife uses the star anise in curries, such as in chicken curry. Without the star anise, the aroma would be lacking.
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