Fennel is called variyali in Gujarati, saunf in Hindi, sombu in Tamil and moti saunf in some northern markets. India is the largest producer in the world, with most of the crop grown across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Fennel is sold in grades, and the difference between them is real. The lakhnavi type is small, thin and vividly green, with a noticeably sweeter taste and a softer bite. Larger fennel is plumper, paler and more bluntly aniseed in flavour, which suits savoury cooking better than chewing.

Colour is the clearest quality signal. Good variyali is bright to deep green with no dull or yellowed seeds mixed in. Fennel fades as it ages, and a pack that looks olive or straw-coloured has been sitting a long while or was stored in light. Fading tracks aroma loss closely.

Some fennel sold for mukhwas is artificially coloured to look greener than it is. Rub a few seeds between damp fingers. Natural fennel leaves no colour on the skin. If green comes off, dye has been added.

The seed should also snap rather than bend. Soft, limp fennel has taken on moisture and will taste flat.

How to Identify Good Variyali

• Bright to deep green colour with no dull or yellowed seeds
• Small, slim, evenly sized seeds rather than a mix of grades
• Firm seeds that snap cleanly, not soft or bendy
• Sweet, clean aroma released on crushing
• No colour transfer when rubbed between damp fingers
• Free from stalk pieces, husk and dust

Where Variyali Is Used

• Mukhwas and after-meal mouth freshener
• Paan and saunf mixes
• Sweet fennel tea and kadha
• Gujarati dal and kadhi
• Sweet dishes and baking
• Sherbet and summer drinks
• Light vegetable preparations
• Homemade digestive mixes

How to Use Variyali

As a mouth freshener:

• Take half a teaspoon plain after a meal
• Mix with dhaniya dal, mishri and a little elaichi for a homemade mukhwas
• Roast lightly on a low flame for two minutes to bring out the sweetness before mixing

In cooking:

• Add half a teaspoon to hot oil at the start of a Gujarati dal or kadhi
• Crush lightly before adding, since whole seeds release less
• Use sparingly in savoury dishes, as the sweetness of this grade builds quickly

In drinks:

• Steep a teaspoon in hot water for five minutes for fennel tea
• Soak overnight in water for a summer sherbet, then strain and add mishri

In a masala blend:

• Dry roast briefly with the other whole spices, no more than a minute
• Cool completely before grinding

Roasting note: fennel scorches quickly and burnt fennel turns bitter. Keep the flame low and stop as soon as the aroma lifts.

Dishes That Use Variyali

• Mukhwas and mouth freshener mixes
• Paan
• Fennel tea and kadha
• Gujarati dal and kadhi
• Sweet dishes and baking
• Sherbet and summer coolers
• Light vegetable preparations
• Digestive mixes

How to Store Variyali

Fennel loses colour and aroma faster than most whole spices, and light is the main cause.

• Keep the seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from sunlight
• Use an opaque container or keep it inside a cupboard, since sunlight fades the green
• Do not store above the stove, as heat and steam flatten the aroma
• Keep the container closed rather than leaving it open in a masala dabba

Stored properly, variyali holds its colour and sweetness for around a year. The colour tells you as much as the smell. Bright green seeds are fresh, while seeds fading toward olive or straw have lost aroma.

Never store ground fennel. Grind at the point of use.