I thought that anise was the spice and aniseed was the seed. I didn't know that anise and aniseed are the same thing.

Some of my friends loved it Can you explain what is the difference between aniseed and fennel? I know they taste similar but they're not from the same family right?Īnd what's the difference between regular aniseed and star aniseed? I can't wrap my head around all these herbs. I'm just not used to alcoholic drinks with aniseed herb. I did try raki a few times but I can't say I was a fan of it. It smells and tastes very much like licorice.

They actually call the aniseed drink 'raki.' It's really strong! It looks clear in the bottle and you have to mix it with water to dilute it. I know about arak because I went to Turkey for a vacation last year. In Indian cooking, sometimes they put whole star aniseed into dishes (without removing the seeds from it). But both dried aniseed and star aniseed is used in cooking. As far as I know, the appearance of the plant is also very different. The difference between regular aniseed and star aniseed is that star aniseed grows in China and Southeast Asia, not the Mediterranean. Anise is a herb so the only thing it produces is the aniseed. Fennel has an edible bulb root and everything. So fennel seeds are the seeds of the fennel plant. Is aniseed used to make licorice candy? I know that there is such a thing as an actual licorice plant, so is it used instead?Īugust 25, I think that aniseed is from the parsley family so it is a herb. It's a really easy way to make your own candy. Then, she just cuts it into strips and lets it harden. She stirs it until it turns to a paste, which she rolls out on wax paper that has been covered in powdered sugar. She heats the molasses first, and then she adds the anise and licorice powder. She uses anise powder and licorice root powder, along with molasses. September 5, – My sister uses both to make homemade licorice candy. I think that because the anise is mixed in with other ingredients, it isn't as intense as something like licorice candy, which I hate. It's funny, because I've always hated the taste of licorice, but I love root beer.Įven after I made the connection between the licorice flavor of anise and root beer, it didn't affect my love for it. I don't have anything against the flavor. I would consider using the powdered version, though. I didn't even want to touch it, so I don't believe I'll ever be cooking with it whole. It's brown with several extensions, so it instantly reminded me of a spider. When I first saw aniseed, it startled me. One lady added star anise to her stew and to her rice. I have seen people use whole pieces of aniseed as a spice.

What are the Best Substitutes for Star Anise?.

Anise flavor