Badyan - what is it and how to use it properly in cooking?

The world of plants as a component part of living nature is rich and diverse almost unlimited. In his realm there are green friends useful to man, and quite dangerous enemies. A huge number of plants we consume in food - in raw or processed form, we use in medicine, cosmetology. Others simply admire - they decorate our way of life, make life brighter, more diverse, more pleasant. Still others are still studying - they contain a lot of interesting puzzles.

Uncrowned King

The plant, which will be discussed in this article, is truly unique and worthy of the most sincere respect. It is universal in terms of breadth of use in various spheres, has a number of unusual and very useful qualities. And it is called mysteriously and beautifully: Illithium is real. Simply - bad. "What is it?" - you ask. A small tree growing in the warm southern climate of Southeast Asia, Japan and China, as well as India, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

It also wears other names - anise of Chinese, Indian, stellar. With the first two clearly - they are given on the habitat of the plant. But why is the starry buckler? What does this mean? This name is associated with a special form of tree fruit - six- or eight-petalled (and more) "asterisks". That's why the illicium is called the real uncrowned king of the vegetable kingdom!

Properties of fruits

The tree belongs to the breed of centenarians. Some of its species have been drawing their green branches to the sky for at least a hundred years. True, and a valuable harvest, for which, in fact, the culture and erect, people wait for a long time - a decade and a half. What is he, the mysterious fruit of the tubs? What is this special product?

Flowers, of which "stars" are formed, resemble garden daffodils in an exquisite form. The smell of their appearance is very delicate, pleasant, sweet. Preserve it and the fruits. To the touch is a hard, hard buckler. What does this give the fruit? Naturally, protects the seeds of the plant from damage. Collect the illicitium (in translation - "beautiful") is not quite ripe, dried in the sun, resulting in the fruits become reddish-brown. They are then ground into powder and used for their intended purpose.

Special indicators

What can boast a bad child? Useful properties and contraindications of plants what are they? First, the fruits are fat and ester, which is very valuable for the medical, cosmetic and food industries. Secondly, they contain such useful substances as tannic, extractive, tar, sugar, tannin, organic acids and mineral salts. Ethereal buckwheat oil retains the sweet-tart taste peculiar to the fruit of the tree and a wonderful aroma. By the way, it is an excellent antispasmodic, which contributes to the restoration of gastrointestinal activity and prevents flatulence. In general, it is worth noting that Oriental folk medicine, especially Ayurvedic medicine, considers star anise to be extremely useful.

Medical compliance

Decoction of seeds - an excellent remedy for fever, colds, stomach pains, for the expulsion of worms. Seeds and dentists are considered useful - they are advised to chew to fight the bad breath. However, one should not get carried away by self-medication with badges, applying it in large quantities, especially with epilepsy, nervous overexcitation, a tendency to allergies.

In pure form, oil from illicium can burn the skin and mucous, so it should be used, for example, for cosmetic purposes, diluting with other vegetable oils. If a couple of droplets of it to add to the bath, it will have an excellent relaxing effect. It is not advisable that baden (seasoning) be included in the food of pregnant and lactating mothers.

Condiments & Spices

Often even experienced hostesses are confused about the issue of what to consider as aromatic additives, which are spices, spices, and what - spices. The role of seasonings is to give the dishes a certain taste of homogeneous (sweet, salty) or mixed type (bitter-sweet). Aromatic substances affect the smell of the culinary product (for example, vanilla in baking).

Badjan - seasoning and spice at the same time. It communicates food and a certain taste, and a pronounced flavor, especially clearly visible when cooking food. In addition, being a strong antiseptic, star anise fulfills the function of a natural preservative, prolonging the shelf-life of the dishes that include it. And the appetite increases excellent and good digestion contributes!

Culinary use

As you understand, it is not quite common for a baddish seasoning. Its application in the culinary business is truly universal. After all, put powder in sweet pastries, and in conservation (jams, jams, compotes, pickles and marinades), and almost all kinds of dishes. Especially it is good in sauces and gravies.

In general, baden (spice) was known to people long before our era. It was an indispensable component of most of the alcoholic beverages of Ancient Egypt - so people avoided the hangover syndrome. Together with wormwood in certain doses, it was added to the wine, which was then insisted for a certain amount of time, getting a medicinal remedy for many diseases.

In the Ancient East, also a very popular bell made in cooking. But the tree bark of the Japanese and the Chinese were set on fire in the censers of temples and in houses as valuable fragrance. In Europe, powder from the fruit of star anise was an indispensable component of Christmas baked goods and sweets, as well as a very popular hot grog.

Twin Products

There are a number of products that perfectly harmonize with the badge. Carnation, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon - all together and individually, in combination with an illithium, emphasize the taste and set off the taste of each other. Therefore, in ancient times, from the earliest times, buckwheat was put in a dough for gingerbread and cookies. In pickles and marinades, it is perfectly adjacent to celery, dill, fennel, parsley. In sauces and gravies, the starry anise is correctly added, if the hostess also uses garlic, onion, hot and sweet pepper.

As a spice it is simply irreplaceable when working with poultry (duck, chicken), beef. "Love" badin dishes from rice, vegetables, eggs. Yes there to talk about other products, when even ordinary drinking water with its use turns into a delicious aromatic drink.

Multiple recipes

And now, useful and original recipes that you can use this minute and prepare something "like", "bad": "

• Strong tea (black). First, just brew it the way you normally do. Bat out lemon (citrus begin to smell stronger), cut the circle, put in a glass. Add the same badyan flower (it can be dry or fresh), cover with a saucer, let it brew until tea becomes pleasant for drinking temperature. Then take out the flower, and serve sugar, honey, marmalade, and other sweets to the drink.
• Cherry jam with star anise. Pick berries, peel, pour sugar (1 to 1), leave for 5-6 hours. Put them in the cheesecloth several inflorescences of tubercle and cloves, a stick of cinnamon. Then take the spices, and cook the cherries in several receptions until ready. Ride, and in winter enjoy a surprisingly fragrant treat. Keep fit for food it can longer than usual - 3 years.

Here is such a wonderful eastern spice - badyan-anise-illizium!