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.
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreFennel
The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreBasil
A tender culinary herb with glossy leaves and a licorice-like aroma, native to tropical Asia.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family herb, used to flavour breads and spirits.Seed · Anise and liquorice · Sharp and pungent
🇷🇺 Russia and 4 moreTarragon
A slender perennial herb with anise-scented leaves, prized in French and Middle Eastern cooking.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Sweet and mellow
🇱🇰 Sri LankaThuna pahaතුන පහ
A Sri Lankan unroasted curry powder made from cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sharp and pungent
🇹🇭 Thailand and 3 moreThai basilโหระพา
A Southeast Asian herb with purple stems and anise notes, used in curries and soups.Leaf · Anise and liquorice · Hot and fiery
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 2 morePanch phoronপাঁচ ফোড়ন
A Bengali blend of five whole seeds used to temper dishesBlend · Bitter · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreHawaijحوايج
A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Earthy and deep
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreStar anise八角 (bājiǎo)
The reddish-brown star-shaped fruit of a Chinese evergreen tree, used for its licorice-like flavor.Fruit · Sweet and mellow · Anise and liquorice
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreKorean mint배초향
An anise-scented Asian mint leaf used in Korean stews and herbal traditionsLeaf · Anise and liquorice · Herbal and green
🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreCubeb
The dried fruit of a climbing vine, known for its long tail and sharp taste.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa
The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice · Warm and sweet-spiced
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreSassafras
An aromatic tree of North America and East Asia, famed for filé powder and root teaLeaf · Citrus and bright · Anise and liquorice
🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family plant, used to flavour rye bread and spirits.Seed · Sharp and pungent · Anise and liquorice
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Panch phoron: Wiki-uk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Caraway: Slick, CC0, source
- Hoja santa: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Sassafras: Randy Everette, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hawaij: Mx. Granger, CC0, source
- Thai basil: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Korean mint: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cubeb: Kembangraps, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tarragon: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Star anise: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Basil: Castielli, CC BY-SA 3.0, source