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
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 4 moreBasil
A tender culinary herb with glossy leaves and a licorice-like aroma, native to tropical Asia.Leaf 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family herb, used to flavour breads and spirits.Seed 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚲馃嚜 Yemen and 1 moreHawaij丨賵丕賷噩
A ground Yemeni spice blend used for soups, coffee, and everyday cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced 路 Earthy and deep
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
馃嚥馃嚱 Mexico and 1 moreHoja santa
The large, heart-shaped leaf of a Mexican pepper plant, used to wrap and flavor food.Anise and liquorice 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 3 moreAnise
The sweet, licorice-flavored seed of an annual herb from the Mediterranean basin.Seed 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Anise and liquorice
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 4 moreSassafras
An aromatic tree of North America and East Asia, famed for fil茅 powder and root teaLeaf 路 Citrus and bright 路 Anise and liquorice
馃嚘馃嚬 Austria and 5 moreCaraway
The crescent-shaped fruit of a carrot-family plant, used to flavour rye bread and spirits.Seed 路 Sharp and pungent 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.
- 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
- Anise: David Monniaux, 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