As a spice, fennel comes in different sizes. Small fennel refers to fennel seeds, the dried and mature fruit of the umbelliferous plant fennel; while large fennel, also known as star anise or Chinese star anise, is the dried fruit of the magnolia family plant star anise. These two brothers are from different families, one is herbaceous and the other is woody, although they have similar smells and functions, they have no genetic relationship.
The reason is that fennel was introduced to China earlier, and because it can be eaten from top to bottom, it quickly became familiar to people. From these nicknames such as "huai xiang" (nostalgic fragrance), "hun xiang" (rich fragrance), and "xiang si cai" (fragrant vegetable), you can see that its taste is deeply loved. On the other hand, large fennel originated in Guangxi, China, and was recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica": "The fruit is as large as a cypress fruit, divided into eight petals... commonly known as bo fennel, also known as star anise fennel. It is different in shape and color from small fennel, but the smell is the same." In other words, large fennel was introduced to the Central Plains relatively late, and because its taste is similar to small fennel, it was directly given the name "big fennel". The stark difference and the similar smell of these two brothers have a subtle fate.
The Entire Plant of Fennel is Precious
The smell of fennel is unique and strong, loved by some and avoided by others. Northerners love to eat the stems and leaves of fennel, which have a spicy, sweet, and fragrant taste with a hint of freshness. In spring, after cutting off the tender shoots, they make fennel meat dumplings, which are delicious and mouth-watering. Alternatively, they chop the tender sprouts, add a bit of oil and salt, and make a good side dish. For those who love it even more, they add fennel flakes to the dough when making noodles, making fennel rolls and fennel oil sticks. It is worth mentioning that fennel's fragrance is more full when combined with ingredients rich in oil, such as pork, eggs, and sesame oil.
The bulb of fennel is not commonly seen on Chinese dining tables, but in Western cuisine, sweet fennel and Italian fennel, which also belong to the fennel family, are basic ingredients. The stalks are relatively swollen and have a sweet taste, so they are commonly used in salads or stir-fried as a side dish for steak.
The dried fruit of fennel, which is small fennel, is a good helper for removing fishy smells and enhancing flavors. As a seasoning, small fennel is an important component of five-spice powder and thirteen-spice powder, and it is the basis for seasoning in Chinese cuisine when marinating meat, thickening sauces, and making fillings. When braising and stewing, throwing in whole fennel seeds in the spice bag can suppress off-flavors and enhance the underlying taste. Small fennel seeds have a slightly bitter and spicy taste, with a camphor-like aroma, stronger than fennel leaves. Once I ate spicy strips and there were small fennel seeds hidden in the folds of the gluten. I didn't notice and chewed them, instantly feeling astringent, numbing, and sweet in my mouth. I rinsed my mouth several times but couldn't get rid of the taste.
In comparison, large fennel, also known as star anise, is milder in taste, with less stimulating spiciness and more sweetness. Westerners love spices like star anise and cinnamon, which are sweet with a hint of spiciness, containing a hidden heat, like mysterious Oriental ladies. They can create sparks when combined with milk, hot cocoa, and red wine. The British brought their culinary habits to India, where star anise powder can be found in Indian milk tea (chai). In traditional Chinese seasoning, large fennel and cinnamon and Sichuan pepper are good partners, providing a sweet base flavor. Large fennel also has an amazing ability: it can make vegetarian dishes taste like meat. By frying a few star anise in hot oil and adding soy sauce to cook cabbage or noodles, it can satisfy one's cravings when there is no meat. When pickling vegetables, star anise is often added to create a softer texture.
Small Fennel Treats Stubborn Diseases
As a traditional Chinese medicine, small fennel has the effect of dispersing cold and warming the stomach, similar to Sichuan pepper and nutmeg. If you feel cold and have a stomachache, you can boil hot porridge, add shredded ginger and five-spice powder, stir well, and drink it while hot to warm up your stomach. Unlike other spices, small fennel enters the liver and kidney meridians and can promote qi circulation. It is particularly effective in treating early lower abdominal cold pain. For women with dysmenorrhea, adding small fennel to traditional menstrual regulating medicines can warm the uterus and promote qi circulation. In cases of sudden pain around the navel, with a feeling of a block of ice in the abdomen, using warm ingredients such as small fennel, evodia, and dried ginger, combined with qi-regulating medicines, can quickly alleviate the symptoms. If the cold reaches the scrotum, causing testicular pain and pulling sensations, small fennel is even more effective.
Fennel seeds, when stir-fried with salt, have a stronger warming effect, and tend to enter the kidney meridian. For elderly people troubled by prostate problems, urinary obstruction, or sudden inability to urinate due to catching a cold, they can use a cloth bag filled with stir-fried coarse salt and fennel seeds, apply it to the lower abdomen, and warm it up. This will help relieve the urinary obstruction.
Large fennel has similar effects to small fennel, but with weaker medicinal properties, so small fennel is mainly used as a medicinal ingredient. Fennel seeds left for 2-3 years after harvesting have a stronger aroma and better medicinal effects. It is worth mentioning that the active ingredient in the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, shikimic acid, is extracted from large fennel. However, this does not mean that soaking large fennel in water can treat the flu. When sick, it is still necessary to take appropriate medication and rest properly.
