Glycyrrhiza species

Licorice or sweet root plants are bushy perennials with blue or lilac flowers, similar to peas.

The most important varieties are G. Glabra, originally from Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia; G. Glandulifera, which grows a little further south and is known as Russian or Persian licorice; and G. Uralensis, the main form used in Asia, originating from the steppe of North China.

Licorice has been cultivated in Europe for about 1 000 years, and twice as long in China. It is still used in medicine to suppress coughs, expectorants and as a mild laxative.

FLAVOR

Licorice aroma is sweet, warm and healing; it tastes very sweet, earthy with the warmth of anise that leaves a lingering bitter, salty taste in the mouth.

USED ARE the tuber and root.

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

Dried licorice root can be purchased at spice shops. If it is very dry, it can stand indefinitely; it can be sliced or ground as needed. Licorice powder, grey-green and strong, should be stored in a well-closed container.

Sticks and slices can also last a long time if they are kept dry.

USE IN COOKING

The largest amount of licorice flavoring is used for tobacco; immediately followed by cough syrups and toothpastes, in the form of drinks such as sambuca and pastis, the aroma is used in a variety of dishes, both sweet and sour.

In Islamic countries during Ramadan, it is used to make a non-carbonated drink.

Licorice candies are made from powder, and are obtained by mixing the powder with sugar, water, natural gum (gum arabic) and flour; most often they get flavor from anise oil, and sweetness from licorice.

In Morocco, the powder flavors snail and octopus dishes, and is often one of the ingredients in the ras el hanout spice mix.

A little licorice can enhance Chinese five spices; it also adds flavor to Chinese soy sauce. In Asian spicy stocks or marinades, licorice is often added in addition to other spices.

The Dutch squeeze the extract into a black, salty licorice, called drop, in a bewildering variety of forms and strengths. The English have colorful licorice candies and 'Pontefract cookies' - lozenges named after the Yorkshire monastery where they were created in the 16th century.

Licorice sticks are popular in Asia and are used for chewing - they are bitter at first but become sweet. In Turkey they eat the fresh roots and the powder is used for baking.

In the West, licorice is becoming a popular flavoring in ice creams.

Licorice should be used in small quantities, as its bitterness could get too pronounced.

COMBINES WELL WITH cassia cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fennel seeds, ginger, Sichuan pepper, star anise.