Star Anise

• This spice is named for its shape. Star Anise is a star-shaped brown fruit pod grown from an evergreen tree in China. Star Anise has a sweet, strong, licorice-like flavor, according to The Spice House. It's used to sweeten Asian dishes, flavored teas or Vietnamese noodle soups. Star Anise can be used for baking, seasoning meat or BBQ sauce.
  
  

Fennel Seed

• Fennel seed has a delicate licorice flavor, similar to Star Anise. It is available whole or ground. Fennel seed aides in digestion and has been used to ward off superstitions. This spice is used in numerous dishes including salmon, Italian sausage and sauces, breads or cheese. According to Food for Thought, Fennel is familiar to the Mediterranean and southwest Asia.
  
  

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon comes from the bark of evergreen trees in Sri Lanka, according to Food for Thought. It is mildly spicy and bitter with a tantalizing aroma. It's mostly used in breads, candies, cookies and other baked goods in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. Arabs prefer cinnamon in their tea.
  
  

Cloves

• Cloves are available whole or ground and are grown in various southeast Asian nations and Madagascar. They're most often used to flavor Indian dishes and to make cigarettes in Indonesia. The clove is sweet and rich. Whole cloves are often used to flavor ham or pork roasts. Ground cloves are often added to cakes, pies and custards.
  
  

Sichuan Peppercorn

• Sichuan peppers are from northern China. Sichuan peppers aren't a descendant of black pepper, but rather the red chile pepper. The spice is combined with ginger to give heat to many Asian dishes, according to The Spice House. This ancient pepper is also used to season beef, pork and seafood. The flavor can be enhanced when peppers are toasted and ground.