nutmeg

ay leaf (Laurus nobilis) medicinal herb refers to the aromatic leaf of the Bay Laurel tree and it is native to Asia Minor, Egypt. It is also found in parts of India. It is from the Lauraceae family and it is also called Sweet bay. This medicinal plant has been used since ancient Greece as herbal remedy and it is primarily used for its distinctive flavor and fragrance as a culinary herb.

The common names are Indian Bay, Bay Laurel, Sweet bay, Laurus nobilis, Laurel tree, True laurel, Laurel, Grecian laurel and Nobel Laurel.

It is often used to flavour soups, stews, Moroccan-style dishes, and in Mediterranean cuisine. The leaves do not develop their full flavour until several weeks after picking and drying and it is highly favoured by many chefs. It can be found as an ingredient in numerous recipes inclusive of French recipes.

Fennel seeds are the dried seeds of the fennel plant, which is an aromatic herb belonging to the parsley family. This herb is commonly known as saunf in Hindi. The fennel seeds are roughly 4 to 8 mm in length and each one looks like a grooved or ridged grain of rice. Saunf comes in colors ranging from bright green to pale green and tan. Like the fennel plant, the seeds have a licorice-like taste, although they are sweeter and slightly less pungent and intense than licorice.