Chinese Star Anise Recipes

CHINESE-STYLE BRAISED BEEF ONE-POT

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole. Fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.
• Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• Pour in the soy and stock (it won't cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through. The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy. This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Nestle the cooked bok choi into the pan, then bring to the table with the basmati rice straight away and tuck in.

CHICKEN SIMMERED IN SOY AND STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Place the ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, cooking wine or sherry, star anise, cinnamon stick and sugar in a frying pan over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
• Add the greens to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.
• Place chicken and greens on serving plates and spoon over pan juices as sauce.
• Serve with steamed rice.

DONNA'S CHINESE SIMMERED STAR ANISE PORK

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add ginger, and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, and star anise; bring to a simmer. Add pork, and cover. Cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
• Remove pork, and keep warm. Allow sauce to simmer until reduced and thickened. Cut pork into 1-inch slices. Spoon sauce over pork, and serve with steamed rice and bok choy.

SPICY BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Heat peanut oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to bowl. Add mushrooms, 1 1/2 cups green onions, garlic and ginger to pot. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add chicken broth, hoisin sauce and star anise. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Cut meat crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
• Meanwhile, boil mixture in pot until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Stir in cabbage and chili sauce. Boil until cabbage is tender, about 4 minutes. Return chicken to pot; simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Discard star anise. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup green onions.