ANISE

 ANISE - not to be confused with STAR ANISE

 

 It is related to the carrot and parsley families. 

The seeds taste of liquorice and come fron a plant with long feathery leaves.  They help counteract wind and are a natural stimulant.  It is said that the Romans used to eat it at the end of a meal in order to aid digestion.  Indians also use the seeds to aid digestion.  It is used in stews, cheese dishes, fish and of course, with curries.  

The seeds of the anise or aniseed plant are used in cookery. They have a very distinctive liquorice flavour and a sweet yet spicy aroma. The dried seeds are ground to make powdered ground anise, which can lose its flavour quickly so it is best to buy seeds and grind them freshly or to buy ground anise in small quantities.

Anise is popular in savoury and  sweet dishes including Indian dishes, bread and fish recipes. Anise adds flavour to biscuits and cakes. It is also the main flavour in many drinks including Pernod, French Pastis and Greek and Turkish Ouzo.

It is probably best to dry-fry the seeds in a hot frying pan for a few minutes until the aroma is released.

This spice is widely used in Middle Eastern, Italian, Indian, German and Mexican cooking. Anise seed is used in Italian biscotti, desserts, and charcuterie.