Fennel seed is a highly aromatic and flavourful herb, derived from a shrub. The seeds are pale greenish in colour and have a faintly sweet and refreshing flavour.Fennel seeds are mostly eaten after meals, as they aid digestion and also act as a mouth freshener.It is an essential herb in the Bengali five-spice mix (panch phoron), which is used to flavour vegetable dishes and curries.