Star anise is one of the few Chinese spices which have found a permanent home in the Czech Republic. This irregular eight-pointed star is the fruit of an evergreen tree of the Magnolia family. The smell and taste are slightly sweet and distinctively liquorish-like. This spice is typical in oriental dishes based on pork, duck and chicken, or baked vegetables as well as dishes with soy or sweet and sour sauce. It also comes in useful with fish-based dishes, when baking pastries or for mulled wine.

Tip: to obtain a sweet spiced taste, insert a piece of star anise into a whole duck or chicken before roasting.