Pictured above; Part of an anise plant
	Find great prices on similar books
	Indonesian Street Food Secrets
	Indonesian Flavors
	Singaporean, Malaysian & Indonesian Cuisine

Anise, common name for an annual plant of the parsley family that is Native to Egypt. Anise is cultivated in Europe, Syria, Malta, Russia, the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Chile and Mexico for the seed of the plant, called Aniseed. Aniseed has an aromatic, agreeable smell and a warm, sweetish taste.

Aniseed is widely used to flavor pastries. In the Mediterranean region and in Asia, aniseed is commonly used in meat and vegetable dishes. 

Star anise is the dried fruit of an evergreen tree indigenous to the south eastern part of China and to Vietnam. Its flavor and uses are similar to those of anise.