Reaching for fennel after a heavy meal is an instinct across the subcontinent — the saucer of sounf by the door of every dhaba exists for a reason. This is that same seed, concentrated. Laraib distils fennel from a single Punjab crop into a clear, sweetly aromatic oil that carries the digestive virtue of a whole handful of seeds in three or four drops.
What it is traditionally used for
- Taken after meals to expel trapped wind and relieve the pressure of riyah
- Long used to wake a dull appetite and bring back interest in food
- Given to strengthen a weak stomach that struggles with rich or oily cooking
- Used to tone the intestines and settle a griping, unsettled gut
- Relied on to ease the heaviness and bloating that follow a late, generous dinner
How it is made
Fennel seed from a single-origin Punjab harvest is cleaned, lightly crushed and steam distilled, then the aromatic fraction is separated from the hydrosol and filtered clear. Slow distillation keeps the anethole intact, which is where the sweet aroma and the carminative action both live. Nothing artificial is added — no solvent, no flavouring, no carrier oil.
How to take it
Three to five drops on a sugar cube or stirred into a few spoonfuls of warm water, taken twice a day after meals. For occasional bloating, a single dose after the offending meal is usually enough. Children over twelve may take two drops in warm water. It is potent, so more is not better.
Good to know
- 10 ml bottle, DRAP registration number 08031080829
- 100% pure fennel seed oil — a single herb, single origin
- A highly concentrated preparation; always dilute before taking
- Store upright and tightly capped, away from sunlight and heat
Hira Rehman (verified owner) –
Smells exactly like fresh sounf, which is how you know it is real. I carry it in my bag now. Useful after roadside food when travelling between Sargodha and Lahore.
Hafsa Hussain (verified owner) –
Effective for gas, no complaints on that. It is a little expensive for ten millilitres though, and in Peshawar the courier charge adds up. I would order two at a time next round.
Javeria Haider (verified owner) –
My appetite dropped badly after an illness last winter. The hakeem in Gujranwala suggested this before meals. Within two weeks I was eating properly again. Small bottle, lasts well over a month.
Asif Zafar (verified owner) –
We eat late in Multan and heavily, and I used to lie awake with a tight stomach. Four drops in warm water after dinner and that is finished. My sister has now taken a bottle too.