What Is Anise?
Anise is a plant that originated in the Middle East and is now widely grown in North America, Europe and Asia. Anise is also known as aniseed.
Both the seeds and leaves are used in cooking and have the taste and aroma of sweet liquorice. Indian anise has a slightly bitter taste.
In India, anise is used mainly with breads and savoury dishes - the seeds are dry roasted and added to vegetarian and fish dishes.
Anise is also used to flavor alcoholic drinks such as French pastis, Greek ouzo and Turkish raki.
Anise has some medicinal applications and is used to aid digestion as well as being used as an antiseptic.
The sweet taste of aniseed has led to it being used in breath fresheners and to flavor cough medicines and lozenges.
