🌿 Sacred Spices: A Culinary and Spiritual Journey

 

✨ Star Anise: The Forgotten Star of Fragrance and Healing

Discover the healing benefits, prophetic associations (where applicable), and global uses of this underestimated spice — from Eastern broths to warming desserts.

Introduction

In the quiet folds of global kitchens and ancient apothecaries, star anise has long held a place of quiet power. With its delicate, eight-pointed symmetry — so naturally shaped like a star — it has been a symbol of balance, beauty, and subtle strength in cultures around the world. But beyond its appearance lies a richness of flavor, medicinal potency, and historical presence that makes it deserving of far more attention than it currently receives.

Today, many of us have seen star anise tucked away in spice aisles or floating atop an unfamiliar broth, but few truly know how to use it — or why they should. It has become one of those ingredients that feels mysterious, foreign, even unnecessary in modern kitchens. Yet in truth, star anise is a culinary and medicinal gem that has quietly flavored and healed nations for centuries.

A Journey Through Cultures and Kitchens

Though often sidelined in modern Muslim households, star anise has crossed cultural and geographical borders for centuries. In China, it forms the backbone of five-spice blends and aromatic broths. In India, it lends depth to chai, biryani, and garam masala. In the Middle East, it is simmered into stews and herbal teas, especially during cold and flu seasons. In Europe, particularly in French and Mediterranean kitchens, it perfumes desserts, mulled wine, and even liqueurs like pastis and sambuca.

This widespread use is no accident. The scent and flavor profile of star anise — warm, sweet, and reminiscent of licorice — has an ability to both soothe and awaken the senses. Its aroma alone can calm the stomach and the spirit, making it ideal for both culinary elevation and therapeutic use.

More Than a Spice: A Healing Agent

Star anise is not just a flavor — it is a healing agent backed by centuries of traditional use and modern research. It is antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and antiviral, making it one of the most powerful natural ingredients to support the immune system. In fact, over 90% of the world’s production of shikimic acid — the base compound for the antiviral drug Tamiflu — comes from star anise.

It has been used in traditional medicine to treat coughs, digestive issues, inflammation, and even sleep disturbances. In Islamic tradition, though not directly named in hadith, it falls under the prophetic encouragement to seek out foods of healing and to recognize the divine mercy placed in nature's remedies.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught us that every disease has a cure, and that food itself is a form of healing. The Qur’an reminds us that the earth is a source of healing for those who reflect — 

“And We send down of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy…” (Qur’an 17:82). 

Exploring and reviving traditional ingredients like star anise is, in essence, a return to this deeper, reflective relationship with food and medicine.

Why It’s Overlooked — And Why It’s Time to Reclaim It

There are many reasons why star anise has fallen out of use: lack of knowledge, limited exposure, unfamiliarity with how to prepare it, and sometimes even confusion with similar-looking spices. But part of reviving our food traditions as Muslims today means more than just returning to cultural recipes — it means returning to intelligent, intentional nourishment, where taste and healing go hand in hand.

It’s time we reclaim and reintroduce these “forgotten” spices, not just because they are exotic, but because they enrich our sensory intelligence, honor prophetic principles, and invite us to taste the diversity of the ummah and the world. Star anise is a perfect place to begin.

What You’ll Discover in our posts

In this series of spices, we’ll take a closer look at:

• The origin and cultivation of star anise

• Its health benefits backed by both tradition and modern science

• Its use in global cuisines, including halal-friendly recipes

• Simple ways to begin incorporating it into your daily kitchen rituals — from teas to stews to sweet treats

Let this be an invitation to elevate your pantry, awaken your senses, and reconnect with the healing culture of food. May every fragrant cup and spoonful remind us that beauty and barakah often lie in the smallest things.