Fennel Seeds - Saunp or Saunf - (सौंप)
The strong-smelling fennel plant has bright green stalks, lacy, dark green leaves, and mustard-yellow flowers, which turn into seed-heads when ripe. They are collected before they mature and dried. These slightly curved seeds are oval shaped with ridges, greenish-yellow; look somewhat like plump cumin seeds. They are aromatic spice with a mild licorice flavor. All parts of the fennel plants are edible, including the young tender shoots, leaves, and stalks, as well as seeds.
The strong-smelling fennel plant has bright green stalks, lacy, dark green leaves, and mustard-yellow flowers, which turn into seed-heads when ripe. They are collected before they mature and dried. These slightly curved seeds are oval shaped with ridges, greenish-yellow; look somewhat like plump cumin seeds. They are aromatic spice with a mild licorice flavor. All parts of the fennel plants are edible, including the young tender shoots, leaves, and stalks, as well as seeds.
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| Close-up look of Fennel Seeds |
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| Fennel seeds are offered at the end of the meal as a digestive or to freshen the mouth. The seeds are sometimes toasted to bring out the flavor and mixed with coconut, melon seeds, and sugar crystals before chewing. |
