Growing And Using Anise In Healing And Cooking

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

During my school years, I was fond of fishing and dreamed of buying anise oil. It was widely believed among my peers that the fish bite especially willingly on the bait, which is saturated with the aroma of this oil.

Then it seemed to me that anise is some kind of outlandish plant, perhaps overseas, and it is difficult to get it. As an adult, I was able to buy anise oil at the pharmacy, but, alas, it did not bring much luck in fishing.

So what is the anise from which this oil is made? How is it used, what is its use?

Anise ordinary (Pimpinella anísum) is a spicy-aromatic, annual herb of the Umbrella family, which also has medicinal properties. According to scientists, anise was one of the first to be mastered by people as a spicy culture. And it happened a couple of thousand ago in Egypt and in the Mediterranean.

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Growing anise

Despite the fact that the homeland of this plant is located in rather warm places, now it is also grown by our gardeners, gardeners, including in Central Russia, and the farmers of the Kursk, Belgorod and Voronezh regions and the Krasnodar Territory receive anise on an industrial scale.

Anise is sown with seeds. Like other plants that contain essential oil in their seeds, germination is long - up to 2-3 weeks. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2 cm in fertile, loose soil with a neutral reaction. It is advisable to place the garden in a sunny place, because in the shade and even partial shade, little essential oil is formed in the fruits of the plant. On a sunny bed, it is easier for this plant to provide the optimum temperature for vegetation - + 20 … + 25 ° С.

For the successful cultivation of anise, timely watering of the plantings is needed, but we must remember that he does not like waterlogging and stagnant water. To ensure the production of productive umbrellas, you can grow anise through seedlings by sowing the seeds of the plant in the greenhouse in mid-April. And then the sprouted and grown seedlings can be transferred to a sunny garden.

Provided with all nutrients and with regular watering, they will form a developed root system and drive out the stem up to half a meter in height. An umbrella is formed, on which hundreds of white flowers, collected in large inflorescences, will bloom in July. In late summer - early autumn, green umbrellas will begin to turn brown, seeds will form on them - many small oblong fruits, from which anise oil is then obtained. Umbrellas beginners cut them off, tie them into sheaves, and after they dry completely, they thresh them and collect fruit-seeds.

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Using anise

First of all, of course, anise essential oil is used, which is obtained from the seeds of this plant. For this, anise fruits are distilled by steam. This oil contains a large amount of anethole (aromatic ester), which gives it this unique aroma.

Due to this specific aroma and sweetish taste, anise is widely used in bakery, confectionery (in pies, cookies, gingerbread), in alcoholic beverage production ("Did the housekeeper make anisovka?"). It is also used in cooking to pickle vegetables or meat, especially when combined with coriander, bay leaves.

In country cooking, fresh anise leaves are added to various salads - vegetable and fruit, for example, in salads from beets, cabbage, carrots. It gives them an extraordinary aroma and taste. Experienced housewives add young umbrellas of this plant to green borscht for the same purpose. Anise is used to flavor jelly, compotes, teas and kvass.

Seeds, leaves and other parts of the plant are included in marinades when harvesting cucumbers, zucchini, squash for the winter.

Using the medicinal properties of anise

But the seeds of this plant and the essential oil from it were most used first in folk, and then in official medicine.

In folk medicine, anise was used as a diaphoretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, carminative, and even lacticidal agent.

Anise preparations help with inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, they remove sand from the urinary tract. It is used for bloating and also stimulates the secretory function of the liver and pancreas.

Anise infusion. Take 1 tablespoon of chopped anise seeds, pour one glass of boiling water (200 ml) over them and leave for half an hour. Then this infusion must be filtered and taken warm, 1-2 tablespoons three times a day.

This infusion helps with bronchitis with dry cough, bronchial asthma, tonsillitis, as well as urolithiasis, flatulence and loss of voice.

It is also used for rinsing with inflammation of the gums and oral mucosa, with tonsillitis.

As a milk-producing agent - stimulating milk production in nursing mothers - this infusion of anise fruits should be taken in a quarter of a glass three times a day half an hour before meals.

Anise oil. It helps with bronchitis. To do this, add 2-3 drops of oil to a spoonful of warm water and take up to six times a day. It is also used for expectoration, to enhance the function of the digestive tract.

Anise decoction. It is prepared for the treatment of prolonged congestive cough. To do this, 1 teaspoon of crushed anise fruits is poured with 200 ml of water and placed on the stove. When the liquid boils, it is kept on fire for another 15-20 minutes, then the broth is cooled, filtered and its volume is brought to the original. Take this broth warm in a quarter of a glass during the day - 4 times.

Contraindications: you can not take anise preparations for women during pregnancy, as well as for patients with chronic diseases of the digestive tract and gastric ulcer. In general, any medication requires caution. Therefore, it will not be at all superfluous if you first consult with your doctor about a particular prescription.