Fennel seed

(Venkelzaad, মৌরি বীজ, Graines de fenouil or सौंफ का बीज)

Widely cultivated both in its native range and elsewhere, for its edible, strongly flavoured leaves and fruits, Fennel has its aniseed flavor and sweeter and more aromatic than anise and star anise. The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. Fennel seeds are used in cookery and sweet desserts. It is an essential ingredient of the Assamese, Bengali, Oriya spice mixture panch phoron and in Chinese five-spice powders. It is also one of the most important spices in Kashmiri Pandit and Gujarati cooking. In many parts of India and Pakistan, roasted fennel seeds are consumed as mukhwas, an after-meal digestive and breath freshener.