Digestion5 min
Toasted saunf chewed after dinner
A teaspoon of fennel seeds, dry-roasted until they smell sweet, is the after-dinner chew many Indian tables already offer. Toasting wakes the aroma. The amount stays one teaspoon.
Saunf after the meal
Fennel seeds are the mouth freshener passed around at the end of a meal. Dry-roasting them for a minute makes them less raw and a little nutty. Chewing slowly is the whole practice. There is no need to boil, sweeten or crush them into a large dose.
A heavy dinner can leave kapha-like fullness and a dull agni. A teaspoon of toasted saunf may soothe that just-eaten heaviness and the taste of spices. It is not a substitute for a doctor if night pain, burning or vomiting follows dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- A dry tawa to roast the fennel seeds
- A small spoon for the after-dinner chew
How to prepare
- Warm a dry tawa and roast the fennel seeds, stirring, until they smell sweet and turn a shade darker.
- Tip them onto a plate and let them cool enough to chew.
How to use
- After dinner, chew one teaspoon slowly.
- One teaspoon is the serving. Do not eat a bowl of seeds.
- Skip this if dinner was already very late and you are about to lie down at once. Sit up for a little while.
Helpful habits
- Low heat is enough. Fennel burns and turns bitter if the pan is smoking.
- Store a small roasted batch in a clean tin for two or three days if it stays dry.
Precautions
- One teaspoon after dinner, not several spoons through the night.
- If fennel repeats as heartburn for you, skip the chew.
- Supportive habit only, not a substitute for a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
Is raw saunf all right?
- Raw seeds are common, but this remedy is the dry-roasted teaspoon, chewed after dinner.
Can I add sugar or mishri?
- Not needed. Toasted fennel seeds are sweet enough on their own.
Is saunf tea the same?
- Tea is a different sip. Here you chew a teaspoon of dry-roasted fennel seeds.
