Fennel

Fennel is sometimes assumed to be anise, which is from a different plant from the same family. The latter is more commonly used in India. Fennel seeds have a faint sweetness to them, hence the word ‘manis’ which means ‘sweet’ in Malay. Interestingly, this plant originated in the Mediterranean and ended up in India by way of Arab traders. It is used to make many of the spicy gravies and contributes a kind of refreshing flavour to the dish.