Africa

Green Anise

Pimpinella anisum.

Seed.

Part Used

Dried seed, whole or ground.

Form

Habbat hlawa / yansoon (regional Arabic terms).

Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt.

Sweet, licorice-forward, lighter and more floral than fennel seed.

Flavoring for breads, pastries, and aniseed teas; occasional savory use.

Moroccan anise bread (khobz bishemar variations); aniseed tea; festive pastries.

Sesame, orange blossom, honey.

Add early to doughs so the flavor distributes through fermentation and baking.

Whole seed keeps well over a year sealed and dark.

Fennel seed is the closest substitute, though sweeter and less overtly licorice-like; star anise is stronger and more assertive.

Frequently confused with star anise (an unrelated East Asian pod spice) purely because of the shared English name 'anise.'

Not typically a blend component; used as a standalone flavoring.