STAR ANISE - The "star" of a good Pho broth!

We are a family of pho eaters - that spicy, brothy noodle soup that is the national dish of Vietnam. If you haven't had pho, it is worth making the effort to find or make some. It is usually served with some sort of a protein (beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, or tofu), and is full of fragrant herbs and vegetables - asian basil, mint, cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeno peppers, chopped green onions, bean sprouts and juicy wedges of lime are the standard options. Once you add all that to your taste you season up your bowl of deliciousness even more with soy sauce, nam pla (Vietnamese fish sauce) and  some kind of chili sauce - whether sambal olek or sriacha, which is much more garlicky than plain chili paste. It is a soup to die for - hearty and light, comforting and exciting, all at the same time. We long for pho and eat it frequently, and while it is cheap enough at the pho shops, we can't always drag our selves out, so I've become pretty good at whipping up our own broth. The broth is absolutely key, and it needs star anise to have that authentic flavor found in the shops. I will post again on pho broth and pho components, but for today, I bring you one of the most key ingredients: star anise! You can purchase it in my shop if you don't have ethnic stores near you. Just click on the Paypal icon below! It is $4 for .75 oz, which includes the shipping.