Fennel Soup
fennel herb plant with fronds
Fennel has played a traditional role in nutritional medicine for thousands of years. It’s used to heal and soothe digestive issues, and digestive inflammation from bloating, gas, burping, and acid reflex, besides being super tasty. Fennel is an herbal flowering plant and strengthens and warms your digestive fire - Agni. It belongs to the celery and carrot family, tastes like anise - a licorice flavor. Fennel has a tremendous amount of health benefits. I recommend you read the shared resources below for more information.
The fennel Plant originated in the Mediterrainian area. The whole plant bulb is edible. It adds a crispy texture to dishes, and when cooking in soups tenderizes within 20 minutes. Fennel is loaded with nutrition and minerals. It boosts bone health. One cup of fennel has 43 mg of calcium. Skin health anyone? Fennel is a potent free radical that protects skins appearance, and increases collagen in the skin. Skin health starts from the inside out! You are what you eat - more so what you digest! Fennel is your friend! Add it to your grocery list.
For more information and research: PubMed, Dr. Axe Co-Founder of Ancient Nutrition, and Food Sciences - online for the benefits of fennel bulbs and fennel seeds.
Fennel Seeds are wonderful to chew on after a meal to help digest your food to avoid gas and bloating. Next time you’re in an Indian restaurant notice the fennel seeds by the cash register.
Recipe - serves 4
1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1 tsp slivered fresh ginger root
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
optional: pinch of hing
4 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb - 2 medium fennel bulbs with or without fronds
1 medium taro root - peeled or 1 tbsp arrowroot or kuzu powder with 1 tbsp water and add to soup
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp fresh lime juice or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp minced fresh dill or fennel frond leaves
4 cups of water
slice and add to soup - save some fronds for garnish
allow vegetable/s to tenderize and puree - 10-15 minutes on simmer
Instructions
melt ghee or heat oil in a 4 quart pot over medium low heat
add ginger, ground fennel seeds, coriander, hing (optional), and toast for 10 seconds
stir in sliced fennel bulb or taro or arrowroot or kuzu
cover pot and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stir occasionally
add 4 cups of water, salt and freshly ground black pepper
bring soup to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
set pot aside uncovered and let soup cool down a bit
using an hand held immersion blender or blender machine, puree the soup to a smooth creamy consistency
heat soup again to seeing temperature
stir in lime juice
option: add cooked chickpeas (protein) before or after you blend - cooks choice
garnish with dill or fennel fronds - adds color and flavor
Genia’s Spoon Me Tips
I am presently on my easing out of my Ayurvedic Fall cleanse. The next three days I’m being mindful as I choose my dishes. My post cleanse is a very crucial time to be gentle with my gut, so preparing this Fennel Soup is perfect as it’s soothing for the digestive system, very mellow in taste, and absolutely delicious.
Fennel Bulbs was not in my cooking repertoire until recently. I add fennel seeds to my tea for digestive aid, and chew on fennel seeds after a meal when I feel I need a digestive boost - than I discard. I also added fennel seeds to this soup. You can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder or mortar bowl.
Kuzu Root is used as an herb in Chinese medicine. I was introduced to kuzu root in my macrobiotic cooking days when I was a student at Foods For Healing Cooking School in the ‘90s. Kuzu has many healthy compounds in it, therefore, used as a healing food in cooking. I remember having a sour throat and my teacher recommending I add kuzu root to my hot water. As you can imagine there was a lot of tasting and nibbling in the kitchen. Kuzu always came to the rescue - as it neutralizes stomach acid and relieves heart burn. The phytochemical in the kuzu really helps in healing. You can find kuzu root in a health food store. Kuzu is used as a starch in cooking - thickener for sauces and soups, jellies, jello and puddings. When it comes to thickening foods many use cornstarch - not the greatest ingredient because it comes from corn which spikes blood sugar, and increases inflammation. Arrowroot is another fantastic corn starch thickening agent, but kuzu thickens, too and has the medicinal properties, as well. I use both!
Fennel fronds make a great garnish for soups, salads, fish and more. The whole fennel plant is edible. When I make this fennel soup the aroma in my home is exquisite.
Hing, also known as asafoetida is an ancient spice (a fine powder) used in Indian and Roman cooking. HIng has a unique taste - smells like garlic and onion but dissipates during cooking. It’s great for digestion, stomach disorders like IBS (diarrhea, constipation), gas and bloating, and has many other health benefits. It adds a great flavor in lentil dishes, fish and soups. Only a pinch in a recipe is enough to gain benefits and taste. It supports healthy blood sugars levels, and lowers blood pressure.
Source: Dr. Axe - Co-Founder of Ancient Nutrition
Much peace and love
Genia