- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 teaspoons whole anise seeds
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons anise seed powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with tahini.
- Combine boiling water and anise seeds in a glass measuring cup; let steep, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl; stir in sugar until dissolved. Discard anise seeds.
- Mix flour, turmeric, baking powder, and anise seed powder together in a bowl. Make a well in the center; mix in oil and butter. Stir in sweetened anise water until batter is the consistency of thick yogurt.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Score top into diamond shapes with the tip of a knife; place 1 pine nut in the center of each diamond.
- Bake in the preheated oven until top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.