Saunf in English: What It Is Called, and Why Saunf and Aniseed Are Not the Same

Short answer: saunf is fennel seed in English, from the plant Foeniculum vulgare. It is often called sweet fennel or, incorrectly, aniseed. Aniseed is a different plant entirely, Pimpinella anisum, and although the two taste similar they are not interchangeable.

Why the aniseed confusion exists

Both fennel and anise contain anethole, the compound responsible for that sweet liquorice note. Your palate picks up the same signal from both, which is why English recipes, spice labels and even some dictionaries treat them as the same thing.

They are not. Fennel seed is larger, greener, milder and grows on a plant you can also eat as a vegetable. Anise seed is smaller, greyer-brown and considerably more intense. If a recipe calls for aniseed and you use fennel, you will need more of it. If it calls for fennel and you use aniseed, you will overshoot.

The muddle is worse in India because saunf is used loosely for several things at once.

The three things called saunf in India

Plain saunf

Whole green fennel seed, sold as a spice and eaten plain after meals. This is fennel seed proper.

Lucknowi or Kashmiri saunf

A smaller, thinner, darker green fennel prized for a more delicate aroma. Same species, different cultivar and growing conditions.

Mishri saunf or coloured saunf

The pink, green and yellow sugar-coated mix in the bowl by the door at Indian restaurants. This is fennel seed with a sugar coating and food colour, often with other seeds mixed in. It is a confectionery built on fennel, not plain saunf, and the distinction matters if you are watching sugar.

Other names you will run into

Perumjeerakam in Malayalam, sombu in Tamil, badishep in Marathi, mouri in Bengali, variyali in Gujarati, sopu in Kannada. All fennel seed. Fennel is also sold as sweet cumin in some places, which is another naming accident since it is unrelated to cumin.

Why it ends up at the end of a meal

Fennel is described as cooling and carminative in Ayurveda and has been eaten after food in India for centuries. It also tastes sweet without any sugar, which makes it a clean way to finish a meal. Both reasons hold up. Neither makes it a medicine.

Fennel Minitz is the fennel-led blend in the Wellubia range. Cardamom Fennel pairs it with elaichi in the classic combination. Both print the full ingredient declaration so you can see exactly how much is fennel and how much is coating.

More on the spice on our fennel and saunf page.

Frequently asked questions

What is saunf called in English?

Fennel seed. It is sometimes labelled sweet fennel.

Is saunf and aniseed the same?

No. Both contain anethole and taste similar, but fennel is Foeniculum vulgare and anise is Pimpinella anisum. Anise is much stronger.

Is saunf the same as fennel seeds?

Yes, saunf is the Hindi word for fennel seed.

What is the coloured saunf at restaurants?

Sugar-coated fennel seed with food colour, usually mixed with other seeds. It is a confectionery, not plain saunf.

What is saunf called in Tamil and Malayalam?

Sombu in Tamil, perumjeerakam in Malayalam.