A Scientist in the Kitchen

In the Philippines, almost all parts of the chicken is eaten, from the feet (grilled feet is called Adidas in street talk) to the head (also grilled, a common street called called Walkman!).

It’s another week of Weekend Herb Blogging, this time hosted by Claudia of Fool For Food (whew, lots of Fs!). This time, I am presenting the star anise in combination with another chicken part, chicken neck.

As the name implies, this spice is star-shaped and has a similar flavor with the regular anise. They are not related however, as star anise is the seed pod of an evergreen tree (Illicium verum) while anise is herbaceous (Pimpinella anisum).

This recipe I learned from my Mom who took Chinese cooking lessons when my sister and I were young. We used to live in the south of the country where there is still a Chinese community hence our exposure to Chinese cuisine. Star anise is not common in Philippine cooking but it is something our family has come to like. Our pantry will always have a stock of star anise so we could always have it anytime we want. We use any chicken parts and in this case, I used chicken neck which was available.

Chicken neck braised in star anise

500 grams chicken neck (or any other chicken part)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp freshly crushed peppercorn
2-3 pieces star anise

Mix all ingredients together. Put in a pan and add 2-3 cups water (or just enough to cook the chicken). Bring to a boil and simmer till sauce is halved. Taste and adjust sugar, soy sauce or pepper. It should taste slightly sweetish and peppery.

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