What Is Fennel? Five Major Differences Between Fennel and Star Anise!

Fennel, also known as grain fennel and fragrant silk herb, is a common seasoning in daily life. Many people add some when grilling, eating beef or fried foods to increase the fragrance. So what is fennel? What is the difference between it and star anise?

1. What Is Fennel?

1. Fennel is the dried, ripe fruit of Foeniculum vulgare, a plant in the genus Foeniculum of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), order Apiales. The fruit is 4-8mm long, yellow-green or pale yellow, cylindrical, slightly pointed at both ends, with a small fruit stalk at the base, 5 longitudinal ridges on the surface, a pentagonal cross-section, and a special aroma when smelled.

2. Fennel, also called fragrant silk herb, has a special aroma throughout the whole plant and can remove the gamey smell from meat, so it is a common seasoning, generally often used when grilling meat, making baked cakes or preparing seafood. The fine leaves or leaf stalks can be cut into thin strips and added to seasonings for cold dishes, or stir-fried with various meats. The fruit can be sprinkled directly on food, or ground into powder and sprinkled on food to enhance the taste.

3. Fennel is a medicinal material that is warm in nature and pungent in taste, with effects of dispelling cold, warming the kidney, nourishing the stomach and warming the stomach. It has good therapeutic effects on cold pain in the lower back and back, hernia, poor appetite, stomach cold and vomiting, and kidney deficiency caused by cold dampness and qi stagnation, etc. It can generally be eaten mixed with agarwood, cinnamon, ginger, etc.

2. What Is the Difference Between Fennel and Star Anise?

Difference 1, different families and genera: Fennel is the dried, ripe fruit of Foeniculum vulgare, a plant in the genus Foeniculum of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), order Apiales. It can generally be picked when it matures in autumn, then dried and the fruit beaten off; star anise is a plant in the genus Illicium of the tribe Illicieae of the family Schisandraceae (Magnoliaceae), order Ranunculales.

Difference 2, different appearance: Fennel is slender, yellow-green or pale yellow and cylindrical, slightly pointed at both ends, with 5 longitudinal ridges on the surface; star anise is octagonal in appearance, with thick fruit segments, straight pointed corners, and dark brown color.

Difference 3, different taste: Fennel smells fragrant, with a camphor-like odor, tastes a bit sweet, and gives a burning sensation on the tongue; star anise smells of mint and fruit, and when chewed it releases a fragrant aroma in the mouth.

Difference 4, different effects: Fennel has the effects of dispelling cold and relieving pain, warming the kidney, nourishing the stomach and warming the stomach, and has good therapeutic effects on cold pain in the lower back and back, hernia, poor appetite, stomach cold and vomiting, and kidney deficiency caused by cold dampness and qi stagnation, etc.; star anise has the effects of warming yang, relieving pain, and regulating qi and relieving pain, and has a certain therapeutic effect on neurasthenia and indigestion.

Difference 5, different ways of eating: Fennel is generally used for barbecue, making beef or preparing seafood, but the heat should be low when frying, so as not to burn the vegetables black and affect their appearance; star anise is mostly used for making soup, stir-frying vegetables, making pastries, baking food, etc. It can be heated for a long time, but just do not let it produce a burnt smell.

Overall, fennel is fragrant silk herb, a seasoning commonly used in daily life for barbecue and seafood. Although it sounds like the same thing as star anise, the two differ to a certain extent in family and genus, appearance, taste and effects, so they are still very easy to tell apart when buying.