Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, बडीसौन्फ, बडीशेप)

Video by Dr. Hema D Sane

The plant is under regular cultivation. The annual herb is about 1 m in height with greenish white glaucous smooth stem. The leaves are finely dissected. The flowers are borne at the tips of the branches in large umbrella like clusters. They are attractive yellowish green in colour and with the characteristic aroma.

The fruits are of the size that of cumin, but they are greenish yellowish at maturity. Even the unripe fruits are often sold in market. They are equally preferred.

Soup is used as spice as well as condiment in cooking flavouring agent. It is one of the popular ingredient of Pan पान. The fruits alone are used as masticatory.

In bakery also the fruits are used in making break rolls and some type of biscuits.

As medicine the fruits server as appetizer, stomachic. They are good thirst queincher, give relief from burning sensation, also advised for correcting flatulence.

To some extent, the fruits also posses anthelmintic property.