Topic: Soonf Masala! - or whatever the name is

[m0rq]

Hi,

being new to the forum and BIR cooking, I don't really have mind-bogglingly things to post. But I searched the forum and found nothing, so I thought I share this one and try to upload a photo.

You know the dry seed mix restaurants offer on checkout? Every chef I've asked about the name just smiled and said "SOOOOOOOOONF!" - until I found out Soonf is just the Indian word for fennel, which isn't really helpful. Some refer to it as "Soonf Masala" or "Mukhwas", but I don't really know what the real name is.

For me, it has become an essential with (or better: after) Indian cooking and eating. You put a spoonful of it in your mouth and chew until the aromas of the seeds are released.

It is supposed to:

- give a fresh breath due to the mint that's included
- help digestion through the fennel, cumin, persian cumin and anise seeds
- and I have found that it helps greatly in reducing the craving for cigarettes, as the chewing of spices gives a far better satisfaction than eating sweets or whatever, and it has less calories (except the sugar coated fennel, of course)

I put it together like this:

3 TBSP    fennel seeds
1-2 TBSP   sugar coated fennel seeds (available in Asian stores)
2 TSP   cumin seeds
1 TSP   persian cumin seeds
1 TSP   anise seeds
1 TSP   dried mint (Poodina)

Other possible ingredients include:

1 TSP   coriander seeds (not really a great addition IMO)
1 TSP   crushed betel nut (they are common, but thanks no! I once bit a tooth out on one, so never again.)
1 TSP   dill (does nothing for me)

I only use it in this dried form, but I have also seen it cooked in oil and eaten as a dessert, which I have not yet tried. Also, some say the seeds, esp. the fennel should be roasted before mixing together. I have not liked it better when roasted, I just put it together right out of the bags.

Well, now.. the regulars here will probably laugh about this post, but hey - enlighten me with suggestions about how to improve this. Think of any other seeds and spices that could work with it?

If this has been posted a thousand times, sorry - I couldn't find anything due to the lack of a proper name.

And finally, here's a photo of a fresh bowl:



Cheers,
m0rq

[chewytikka]

Hi m0rq and welcome
This is a blast from the past.

It was a bit of a local Restaurant fad, about 20 years ago, to have a bowl of Sweet Valiary,
Sugar Coated Fennel Seeds, (Saunf) etc.. on the counter, where you paid the bill.

They never mixed it with other seeds though, just Fennel (Saunf).
Very sweet, but an ideal mouth freshner and digestive after a heavy meal. they still sell them in my local Asian Stores
but a thing of the past in my local restaurants.

Another item missing nowadays is Bombay Mix, every Restaurant I know with a pre eating area, usually next to the bar, used to have free bowls of Bombay Mix on the tables, for the customers to enjoy while they waited. I also remember the huge plastic sacks of Bombay Mix in the kitchens, must have been quite a saving when they stopped.

I think I'll pick a packet up when I'm shopping.
cheers Chewy

[loveitspicy]

Chewy

Thanks for the walk down memory lane - I loved all the extras with a beer - it was great if you were sat waiting to get a table...

awesome!

best, Rich

[LouP]

All our locals used to have the Bombay mix round here.....no more though. I get the Hot bombay mix from my local Asian shop. I love it

[scalexkid]

My local Take-away (Shah Zahan - Naaaaaridge) has a huge bowl of Tandoori mix... and an interesting selection of hopelessly out of date newspapers and 'special interest magazines'

Looking, not too closely mind, at the condition of fingers&fumbs of other punters who just 'dive in' has convinced me that discretion is most definitely the better part of valour.

Scalexkid