Anise and liquorice
Star anise, fennel, aniseed and tarragon: the sweet, cooling taste of anethole.
Anise-flavoured spices smell of licorice. Star anise, anise seed, fennel, tarragon and liquorice root share an aroma compound, anethole.
What makes them anise
Anethole is a sweet-smelling compound found in anise, star anise and fennel. It is far sweeter than sugar to the nose. Liquorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which tastes sweet in a different way.
How cooks use them
Star anise is used in Chinese braises, five-spice and Vietnamese pho. Fennel seed is common in Italian sausage, Indian after-dinner mixes and Bengali panch phoron. Anise appears in spirits such as ouzo, pastis, arak and raki.
Tips
Anise notes are strong, so use sparingly. They pair well with citrus, pork, fish and fruit.
Anise and liquorice on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 4 moreFennel
The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 3 moreCubeb
The dried fruit of a climbing vine, known for its long tail and sharp taste.Fruit 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 3 moreStar anise鍏 (b膩ji菐o)
The reddish-brown star-shaped fruit of a Chinese evergreen tree, used for its licorice-like flavor.Fruit 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Anise and liquorice
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Cubeb: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Star anise: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, source