Fennel seed is the dried, ridged fruit of the fennel plant, with a warm, anise-and-licorice flavor stronger and more assertive than the flower's pollen. It is a staple spice in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Italian cooking: ground into garam masala and other spice blends, studded into Italian sausage and bread, and used whole in Scandinavian rye bread.
Fennel seed pairs well with pork, chicken, and seafood, and with vegetables like tomato, eggplant, and potato; in sweet preparations it complements citrus, honey, and chocolate, and works alongside other licorice-flavored spices such as star anise. It is not the same product as fennel pollen, which is far more delicate and expensive.