The whole star-shaped pod is usually thrown in big pots of stock for noodle dishes and then removed before serving. Ground star anise is used on rubs for heartier meats such as pork or beef. A little goes a long way – so be sure to try it out in a few recipes before experimenting on your own.

Having never used star anise before, we made a popular Vietnamese Noodle Stew called “pho” using our crock pot. The recipe asked for a lot of other ingredients and after stewing for several hours, the strong licorice flavor of the star anise was cooked out. A mellow, smokey, sweet taste remained. We halved the amount of star anise pods required, which was a good thing. Any more, and it the flavor would have been too much.

You can get star anise in any spice shop. If you head to the bulk section, you can get only what you need. Be sure to store it an air-tight container or two freezer-quality resealable bags to ensure the licorice aroma doesn’t escape. If you can’t find star anise, regular anise seed can work. Just substitute 1/2 teaspoon of regular anise seed for every pod of star anise required in the recipe.

I love dishes that make you say, “Wow – this tastes wonderful, and there’s something in here that I can’t put my finger on…” Star anise is one of those “mysterious ingredients” that impart a flavor that is truly unique.

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The fish sauce you find in the Asian sections of supermarkets today are a mixture of fermented anchovies, sea salt, and other ingredients. Similar to soy sauce (where the soy mash is fermented and mixed with salt and water), fish sauce is used to make a dish salty and sweet.

Fish sauce isn’t that foreign. If you enjoy Pad Thai at your favorite Thai restaurant, you’ve had fish sauce. Also – if you enjoy Worcestershire sauce on your steak, you’ve had the European equivalent of fish sauce – as it’s made with, you guessed it, fermented anchovies.

We have used fish sauce in our Vietmanmese Noodle Stew (Pho). Check it out!

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Image courtesy of Flickr user ilovememphis.

Oh, sriracha – what can’t you say about this beautiful hot sauce. To be sure, this isn’t really hot. It’s half the heat of Tabasco, but the flavor – oh, the flavor – is where it’s at. Sriracha originated from Thailand – named after the city Si Racha. It’s made of sun-ripened peppers ground up with vinegar, sugar, salt, and other secret ingredients. You may have already tried items with it. Many Chinese dishes are made with it. Do you like spicy tuna/salmon sushi rolls? Chances are they used sriracha to make it both hot and red. It has a flavor that is unmistakably “Asian” but is used in so many other cuisines:

• Mix it in with your favorite barbecue sauce to add just the right of heat and a unique tang.
• Add it in mayonnaise on sandwiches and burgers.
• Chili! Tex-mex and Asian cuisines blend so well together. Add it just as you serve up each bowl.
• Pizza/Calzones – as long as there isn’t too much rosemary. For some reason rosemary and sriracha taste strange. That’s just me though.

You’d be surprised how many times you’ll use it. We use it frequently throughout the recipes both in dishes and as a garnish.

Flavor Feature: The key to planning an exciting home restaurant menu often lies in experimenting with one key ingredient. In “Flavor Feature” posts, we’ll put the spotlight on these special items to bring variety to your kitchen. 

The post Flavor Feature: Sriracha Hot Sauce appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.

Image courtesy of OurOhio.org.

Flavor Feature: The key to planning an exciting home restaurant menu often lies in experimenting with one key ingredient. In “Flavor Feature” posts, we’ll put the spotlight on these items. Be it unique spices,  fragrant sauces, or in-season local produce, these ingredients bring variety to your kitchen.

The post Flavor Feature: Produce Seasonality Chart appeared first on Healthy Home Restaurant.