Badiya phool is the Hindi name for star anise, called chakra phool in some regions and anasphal in others. It is the dried fruit of an evergreen tree, harvested before ripening and dried until it opens into the eight-pointed star that gives it its name.

The aroma is sweet and liquorice-like, close to saunf but considerably stronger and less delicate. Despite the similarity in taste, the two are unrelated plants. Saunf comes from a herb in the carrot family. Star anise comes from a tree related to magnolia. Substituting one for the other does not work, since star anise is several times more potent.

In Indian cooking, it belongs to the biryani and garam masala family. One or two stars go into the ghee at the start of a biryani, into the water while boiling rice, or into the whole spices of a slow-cooked meat gravy. It also appears in Chinese five-spice and across Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cooking, which is why it turns up in pho recipes.

The eight points each contain a single seed, and both the pod and the seed carry flavour. Broken pieces are perfectly usable and often sold cheaper, which matters when comparing badiya phool price across sellers. What you are paying extra for in a whole-star pack is appearance, not potency.

How to Identify Good Badiya Phool

• Whole eight-pointed stars, reddish brown in colour
• Firm and dry, snapping cleanly rather than bending
• Strong sweet liquorice aroma even before crushing
• Seeds visible and intact within the points
• Free from dust, mould spots and excessive breakage
• No musty or damp smell

Where Badiya Phool Is Used

• Biryani and pulao
• Garam masala blends
• Slow-cooked meat gravies and korma
• Rogan josh and Kashmiri preparations
• Chinese five-spice
• Pho and Southeast Asian broths
• Masala chai in some regional versions
• Mulled and spiced drinks

How to Identify Genuine Shahjeera

• Dark brown to near-black seeds, not light brown
• Thin, long and distinctly curved rather than plump and straight
• Uniform size with few broken pieces
• Sweet, delicate aroma when crushed, without cumin\'s earthy sharpness
• Free from stalk fragments, husk and dust
• Noticeably lighter in weight per volume than cumin

Where Shahjeera Is Used

• Biryani, particularly Hyderabadi and Lucknowi
• Mughlai gravies, korma and shahi paneer
• Kashmiri cooking, including rogan josh and yakhni
• Garam masala blends
• Naan, sheermal and rich breads
• Pulao and rice preparations

How to Use Badiya Phool

In a tadka or at the start of cooking:

• Heat oil or ghee until shimmering.
• Add one whole star along with the other whole spices at the very beginning.
• It releases its aroma within a few seconds and perfumes everything cooked after it.
• Remove before serving.

In biryani and rice:

• Add one star to the ghee before layering, or drop it into the water while boiling rice.
• Fish it out before serving.

In a masala blend:

• Break one star into points and dry roast lightly with the other whole spices.
• Cool completely before grinding.
• Use sparingly. Star anise will dominate a blend if overused.

Quantity is the thing to get right. One star is enough for a dish serving four to six. Two stars in a small pot make the food taste medicinal, and it cannot be corrected once it is in.

Whole stars are removed before eating. They stay hard through cooking and are not meant to be chewed.

Dishes That Use Badiya Phool

• Biryani and pulao
• Garam masala
• Korma and slow-cooked meat gravies
• Rogan josh
• Chinese five-spice blends
• Pho and Asian broths
• Chai masala
• Spiced syrups and drinks

How to Store Badiya Phool

Keep the stars whole in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Star anise holds its aroma unusually well compared with most whole spices, since the oils sit deep in the woody pod rather than on the surface.

Do not store above the stove. Steam softens the pods, and a limp star anise has already lost strength.

Stored properly, whole stars keep their potency for well over a year, often closer to two. The test is easy given how strong the spice is: open the container. If the liquorice aroma reaches you immediately, it is still good.

Grind only what is needed. Ground star anise fades within weeks and is rarely worth storing.

Star Anise or Saunf: Not the Same Spice

Both taste of liquorice, which is where the confusion starts, but they come from unrelated plants and behave differently.

Badiya phool, star anise, is a woody eight-pointed star from a tree. Far stronger, used one star at a time, added whole and removed before serving.

Saunf, fennel seed, is a small green seed from a herb. Milder and sweeter, used by the spoonful, and eaten directly as a mouth freshener.

A recipe calling for star anise cannot be made with saunf, and using star anise in saunf quantities would make a dish inedible.