Fennel is a perennial herb belonging to the carrot family – which also includes coriander, cumin, and dill. The word fennel traces its roots to the Latin word feniculum, the diminutive of fenum, meaning “hay” – thought to be a description of the seed’s aroma. As one of the world’s oldest cultivated plants, fennel was prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used it as medicine, food, and even insect repellent. Through the Middle Ages, fennel was among the herbs found in medicinal arsenals of monks and apothecaries. Arab traders helped spread the plant from its native Mediterranean to Asia and India. Fennel seeds are the dried seed of the fennel herb, and look like cumin seeds, only greener. They have an aniseed flavour and a warm, sweet aroma. They can be used on their own or in spice mixes such as Chinese five-spice powder and Indian panch phoran.