Aniseed (ground)
Pimpinella anisum
The licorice-like flavor of anise makes it a popular herb to add a zesty flavor to dishes, drinks, cakes and candies.
The most powerful flavor component of the essential oil of anise, anethole, is found in both anise and an unrelated spice called star anise (Illicium verum) that features prominently in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian dishes.
Usage Suggestions
- Beef Serunding - using aniseed, beef, lemongrass, garlic and scallions.
- Sweet Spicy Pork Stew - using aniseed, fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, chopped lemongrass and dry chilies.
- Spiced Rice Dessert - using aniseed, caraway, cinnamon, fennel and coconut.
- Aniseed Sponge Cake - using aniseed, eggs, sugar and flour.
Health Benefits
Aniseed contains tahymol, a chemical compound found in some plants touted for its medicinal properties.
The seeds are an excellent source of bone-strengthening and alkalizing minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, manganese zinc, potassium and copper. These minerals are essential to cardiac, bone and blood health and are needed by the body to turn food into energy.
The B-complex vitamins found in aniseed are essential to overall health. Loaded with riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin and thiamin, the seeds can contribute to healthy levels of neuro-chemicals in the brain.
Aniseed is considered effective in soothing bronchial irritation, and the essential oils have been used to relieve sore throats. Some components of aniseed are thought to ease nervous disorders associated with anxiety.
Aniseeds are delightfully fragrant due to their high concentration of anethole, an essential oil. The seeds also contain other important compounds like acetophenone, p-anisaldehyde, anise alcohol, estragol, limonene and pinene.
Pure, natural, fresh herbs and spices blended and packed in Australia from imported and local ingredients then flown directly to our Williamson Wines Epicurean Kitchen in California.
| Botanical Name | Pimpinella anisum |
|---|---|
| Common Names | aniseed, Anise Seeds, Anise ground, Anise Oil |
| Flavor | Licorice |
| Contains | Anise seed |
| Application | Aniseed is traditionally used with vegetables that can be indigestible such as cabbage, onion, cucumber, carrot, turnip and beetroot.. Aniseed is used to flavour many alcoholic drinks such as Pernod, Greek ouzo and mastikha, anesone from Italy and the French drink, pastis. |
