Fennel Fruit

The fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare), not to be confused with Da Hui Xiang, which denotes star anise, are harvested at the end of summer when the umbels have ripened.

Small, ovoid, marked with five parallel ribs, they give off that characteristic sweet aniseed scent.

Used everywhere in Mediterranean and Asian cookery, they also have their place in the orthodox Chinese pharmacopoeia.

Traditionally used to warm the Water Phase in its Yang dimension and the lower part of the body, within the register of the harmony of the Blood’s rhythms where cold has a part, and to quiet the tensions of the belly under cold stagnation.

• Decoction: 3 to 6 g, simmer for 15 minutes
• After-meal infusion: 1 teaspoon, lightly crushed, in a cup of water at a simmer, 10 minutes, a classic after meals
• Salt preparation (Yan Xiao Hui Xiang): the traditional version, which points the action towards the lower region
• Sichuan cooking: added to long-simmered broths or to marinades

Not recommended for children under 12 years of age.

Naturally contains estragole. Not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not exceed the quantity of use indicated.

To be avoided in cases of settled heat or of deeply deficient Yin. Otherwise a mild herb.