Fennel seeds

सौंफ / saunf; finocchio

Flavor and role: Seeds of the fennel plant, with a sweet, cool, anise-like aroma. Toasting makes them nutty, and they are thought to aid digestion.
Typical dishes and uses: Italian sausage, porchetta, Indian curries and panch phoron, five-spice powder, after-meal mouth freshener (mukhwas).
Substitutes: 1 tsp fennel seeds = ½ tsp anise seeds (stronger) or a pinch of ground star anise.
Storage: In an airtight container at cool room temperature, away from direct sunlight and moisture. For best aroma, use ground spices within 6 months to 1 year and whole spices within 2-3 years.
Main countries: India · Italy · Egypt
Used in this book: Bunny Chow (Durban Chicken Curry in a Loaf)Nihari Rogan Josh Flaky Layered Biscuits with Homemade Sage Sausage Gravy Marseille Bouillabaisse with Rockfish Broth and Potato Rouille One-Pan Bouillabaisse Orzo with Saffron Aioli Durban Lamb Bunny with Fresh-Ground Masala Overnight Saffron Chebab with Whipped Cheese and Date Syrup Royal Chicken Machboos with Saffron Rice, Daqoos and Crispy Onions Chicken Kottu with Handmade Godamba Roti Red Wine Ragù Lasagna Soup with Lemon Basil Ricotta Nalli Nihari with Homemade Spice Blend Nihari Ragù Pappardelle (Pakistani × Italian)Nihari Puff Pastry Pot Pie with Lemon-Chilli Yogurt Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Fennel Sausage and Anchovy Pangrattato Roasted Curry Powder Parippu with Crispy Shallots Mumbai Tawa Butter Pav Bhaji Slow-Braised Lamb Shank Rogan Josh Rogan Josh Birria-Style Tacos Rogan Josh Keema Loaded Fries Halwai-Style Punjabi Samosas with Two Chutneys Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry with Toasted Coconut

Updated 2026-10-10