Fruit salad with star anise syrup

INGREDIENTS
200g (7oz) lychees

1 large ripe mango
1 star fruit, trimmed
1 large dragon fruit
2 persimmons
FOR THE STAR ANISE SYRUP
75g (2½oz) caster sugar
Juice of 1 lime
2 star anise
150ml (5½fl oz) water 

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)
Few mint leaves, shredded
Small handful of coriander leaves

Directions

• First, make the star anise syrup. Put the sugar, lime juice, star anise and water into a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat slightly and boil for 7-8 minutes until thickened to a light syrup. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Prepare the fruit: peel and stone the lychees; peel, stone and slice the mango; slice the star fruit; cut the dragon fruit into wedges; peel the persimmons and cut into wedges.
• Arrange the fruits attractively on a large platter and drizzle the star anise syrup over them (you may not need all of it; keep any extra in the fridge to drizzle over other fruit salads). Cover the platter with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes before serving. 

Scatter over the shredded mint and coriander leaves to serve, if using

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