Star anise vs anise
Two unrelated plants with the same dominant flavour compound, sold under near-identical names, and differing by roughly a factor of four in strength.
botanical
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | Star anise | Anise |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The star-shaped fruit of a Chinese evergreen tree. | The seed of a Mediterranean Apiaceae, a relative of fennel and dill. |
| Family | Schisandraceae — unrelated to anise in any way. | Apiaceae, the carrot family. |
| Appearance | An eight-pointed woody star, unmistakable. | Small pale ridged seeds, easily confused with fennel. |
| Flavour | Aniseed with a woody, slightly medicinal depth and much more power. | Cleaner and sweeter aniseed with less behind it. |
| Quantity | One point of a star is a normal dose; a whole star flavours a large pot. | A teaspoon of seed is reasonable. |
| Where it belongs | Chinese five-spice, Vietnamese pho, and Chinese braises. | Mediterranean baking, arak, ouzo and pastis. |
| Substitution | Substituting by weight for anise will overwhelm anything. | Substituting for star anise leaves a dish tasting thin. |
The short answer
They share a flavour and nothing else, including strength. A recipe written for one and made with the other by weight will be wrong by a wide margin.
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