mukhwas

{{Short description|South Asian after-meal breath freshener}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Mukhwas

| image = Green Mukhwas.jpg

| image_size = 250

| caption = Green mukhwas, mainly fennel seed

| alternate_name =

| country = India and other South Asian countries

| region =

| creator =

| type =

| served =

| main_ingredient = seeds and nuts, essential oils (peppermint)

| variations =

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}}

Mukhwas is a colorful South Asian{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Ramesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09hpaC42w7YC&dq=mukhwas+ayurvedic&pg=PA58 |title=The Mandeer Ayurvedic Cookbook |date=1997 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-7007-0686-0}} after-meal snack used as a breath freshener.{{Cite web|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/why-are-candy-coated-fennel-seeds-served-indian-re-243727|title=Why are candy-coated fennel seeds served at Indian restaurants?|website=The A.V. Club |date=5 March 2018 }} As per Agamas, mukhwas forms one of the components of sixteen upcharas (offerings) to a deity in a Puja, the Hindu mode of worship or prayer.{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=31 May 2018 |title=Mukhavasa, Mukhavāsa, Mukha-vasa: 7 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mukhavasa |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=wisdomlib.org}} It consists of various seeds and nuts, often fennel, anise, coconut, coriander, and sesame. They can be savory or sweet in flavor and are often aromatic due to the addition of various essential oils, including peppermint. Mukhwas are often coated in sugar and brightly colored.{{cite book|last=Pursell|first=JJ |title=The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSN3CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA36|accessdate=20 June 2016|year=2015|publisher=Timber Press|location=Portland|isbn=9781604696622|page=36}}