What is aniseed?
Aniseed is the small dried fruit of Pimpinella anisum, an aromatic annual of the carrot family (Apiaceae) native to the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt and western Asia. The seeds are tiny, oval and ribbed, greyish-green to brown, often with a thin stalk still attached, and their flavour is strongly sweet and aromatic with a liquorice character from the compound anethole. It is yansoon (or yansoun) in Egypt, the Levant, Iraq and the Gulf, and older merchants sometimes call it anisoon.
The ancient Egyptians cultivated anise and the medical papyri mention it; the Romans carried it into Europe in their spiced cakes. In the Arab home today it is irreplaceable: the night-time and colic drink for infants and adults in Egypt and the Levant, the spice of ka'ak, rusks, biscuits and ma'amoul, the flavour of Levantine and Iraqi arak, and an ingredient in some Gulf baking and spice blends. Egypt is among the world's largest producers, exporting Upper Egyptian anise to Europe and the Americas.
Varieties and origins
The species is one, but origin makes a clear difference in size, colour, essential-oil content and cleanliness. The main sources are Egypt (Upper Egypt: Assiut, Minya and Beni Suef), Turkey (Burdur and Antalya), Spain (Albacete and Murcia), Syria, Iran and India.
Anise Whole Egyptian
Small to medium seeds, greenish-brown to grey, with a strong sweet aroma and a good essential-oil content (2–3 %). It is the most widely traded anise in Arab and world markets and competitively priced; chosen for the everyday drink, ka'ak, baking and grinding.
Anise Whole Spanish
Spanish anise, especially from Albacete and Murcia, is regarded as the finest in the world: larger, plumper seeds, lighter and more uniform in colour, with higher essential oil (3–4 %) and anethole above 90 %, giving an exceptionally sweet, clean flavour. Chosen for premium teas, distilled spirits in international kitchens, oil and extract manufacture, and for anyone who wants the best.
Anise Ground
Milled from cleaned whole seed to a medium fineness for ka'ak, biscuits and blends; best bought in small quantities because the anethole evaporates quickly.
| Variety | Origin | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egyptian whole | Upper Egypt | Greenish-brown seed, strong sweet aroma, 2–3 % oil | Daily drink, ka'ak, grinding |
| Spanish whole | Spain (Albacete, Murcia) | Larger paler seed, 3–4 % oil, high anethole | Premium tea, spirits, extracts |
| Ground | Egypt | Ready for baking | Ka'ak, biscuits, blends |
Quality standards and grades
The dedicated international standard is ISO 7928 (whole and ground anise seed, specification), with the test methods ISO 939, ISO 6571, ISO 928 and ISO 930, ASTA cleanliness specifications, ESA minima and Codex CXS 326-2017. The European Pharmacopoeia monograph for anise fruit requires at least 20 ml/kg (2 %) of essential oil with not less than 87 % trans-anethole. Egypt has a national standard for anise, and Egyptian exports are tested for pesticide residues to EU requirements.
| Parameter | Typical acceptable value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | Max. 10–12 % | ISO 7928 |
| Volatile oil | Min. 1.5 ml/100 g; good lots 2–4 % | Pharmacopoeial: min. 2 % |
| Trans-anethole in the oil | 85–95 % | Responsible for the liquorice sweetness |
| Total ash | Max. 9–10 % | Typical value |
| Acid-insoluble ash | Max. 2–2.5 % | Anise picks up dust easily because of its small size |
| Extraneous matter and stalks | Max. 2–3 % | Fine stalk fragments are common |
| Bulk density | About 300–380 g/l | Typical value |
These are typical trade values except where given as explicit limits in the standards. By the senses: good aniseed has plump seeds of a uniform grey to greenish-brown colour, releases a strong sweet aroma when rubbed, tastes clearly sweet without bitterness, and is free of the dust and sand that tend to cling to its tiny seeds. Pale, lightweight seed with a faint smell is old. Good ground anise is greenish-beige with an immediate sweet aroma.
Whole versus ground: processing
Whole anise is used for the drink (boiled briefly or steeped covered in boiling water so the oil does not escape) and in ka'ak and rusks, where the whole seeds give a pleasant crunch. It is finely ground for biscuits, ma'amoul and blends. Anise is not normally toasted, since dry heat drives off the light anethole, but it bakes well inside dough. Whole seed should be rinsed and drained before boiling to remove fine dust.
Culinary uses
In Egypt it is the first winter bedtime drink, goes into Eid ka'ak, rusks, biscuits, feteer and some breads, and is added to mawlid sweets. In the Levant it is the soul of Eid ka'ak, ma'amoul, festive breads and arak, and is drunk for colic. In Iraq it flavours kleicha, pastries, Iraqi arak and hot drinks. In the Gulf it is used in some baking, sweets, drinks and blends. Worldwide it flavours Mediterranean spirits (ouzo, sambuca, pastis) and Italian and German biscuits.
Dosage: one teaspoon to one tablespoon per kilogram of dough, and one teaspoon per cup of drink. It pairs with cinnamon, fennel, sesame, honey, mastic and nigella, and suits baking, sweets, drinks and poached fruit.
Storage and shelf life
Keep whole seed in an airtight container away from light and heat; it stays good for two to three years with a gradual loss of sweetness. Ground anise keeps its aroma for only 6–9 months. Anise is vulnerable to storage pests in warm, humid conditions, so refrigerate large quantities in summer.
Traditional and health uses
Anise is among the most used herbs in Egyptian and Levantine folk medicine: a soother of colic and bloating, a sleep aid, a remedy for coughs and phlegm, and a galactagogue for nursing mothers. Some studies support its carminative, antispasmodic and expectorant effects, and its oil is used in cough preparations. It should be used in moderation during pregnancy, infusions should not be given to infants without medical supervision, and concentrated anise oil must be kept away from children. It should not be confused with star anise, which can be contaminated with a toxic Japanese species.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- Anise Whole Egyptian
- Anise Whole Spanish
- Anise Ground
Sheikh Al-Attareen buys Egyptian anise directly from growers in Upper Egypt at harvest (May–June) and imports Spanish anise from approved suppliers, testing every shipment in our laboratory for moisture, volatile oil, acid-insoluble ash, extraneous matter and pesticide residues. The seed is cleaned, sieved, milled in small batches and packed at our facility in Mansoura, and is available at our branches in Egypt, Iraq (Baghdad and Erbil) and Syria (Homs), and through our online store.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Egyptian and Spanish anise?
Spanish anise is larger, paler, higher in essential oil and purer in sweetness; Egyptian anise is smaller, strongly aromatic, better priced and ideal for everyday use.
How do I make anise tea properly?
Rinse a teaspoon of seed, steep it covered in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes or boil for two minutes, strain and sweeten with honey; keeping it covered retains the volatile oil.
Is anise the same as fennel?
No. They are different plants of the same family sharing anethole. Anise is smaller and more intensely sweet; fennel is longer, green and fresher in taste.
How long does anise keep?
Whole seed two to three years in an airtight container; ground anise 6–9 months.