Envoy at 12:29, 17 July 2007

2007-07-17T12:29:56Z

New page

:''[[Ground-elder]] is also known as bishop's weed''.

[[Image:Carom.jpg|thumb|Ajwain seeds]]

'''Ajwain''' (also known as '''carom seeds''' or '''bishop's weed'''), is an uncommon spice except in certain areas of Asia. It is the small seed-like fruit of the Bishop's Weed plant, (''Trachyspermum ammi'' syn. ''Carum copticum''), egg-shaped and grayish in colour. The plant has a similarity to parsley. Because of their seed-like appearance, the fruit pods are sometimes called ajwain seeds or bishop's weed seeds.

Ajwain is often confused with [[lovage]] seed; even some dictionaries mistakenly state that ajwain comes from the lovage plant.
Ajwain is also called 'owa' in Marathi and 'vaamu' in Telugu.

==Flavour and aroma==
Raw ajwain smells almost exactly like [[thyme]] because it also contains [[thymol]], but is more aromatic and less subtle in taste, as well as slightly bitter and pungent. It tastes like thyme or [[caraway]], only stronger. Even a small amount of raw ajwain will completely dominate the flavor of a dish. It is called "Omam" in [[Tamil (language)|Tamil]].

In [[Indian cuisine]], ajwain is almost never used raw, but either dry-roasted or fried in [[ghee]]. This develops a much more subtle and complex aroma, somewhat similar to caraway but "brighter". It is used for making a type of [[paratha]], called 'ajwain ka paratha'.

==History==
Ajwain originated in the Middle East, possibly in [[Egypt]]. It is now primarily grown and used in the Indian Subcontinent, but also in Iran, Egypt and Afghanistan. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in [[berbere]], an [[Ethiopia|Ethiopian]] spice mixture.

==Uses==
It reduces flatulence caused by beans when it is cooked with beans. It may be used as a substitute for [[cumin]] as well. It is also traditionally known as a digestive aid and an [[antiemetic]].

==External links==
*[http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Trac_amm.html Ajwain page] from Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
*[http://www.newdirections.com.pt/Oils-Essencial_Oils/c23_24/p221/Ajowan/product_info.html New Directions Nacional Ajowan Essential Oil]

===Recipes===
* [http://www.khanakhazana.com/recipes/k_recipe.aspx?id=1039 Ajwain-Murgh]
* [http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/asia/indian/03/rec0341.html Ajwain-flavored chicken]
* [http://atozfitness.recipezaar.com/13086 Palda]
* [http://atozfitness.recipezaar.com/9711 Fried Bhindi]
* [http://fruitpages.recipezaar.com/24752 Papdi]
* [http://www.recipezaar.com/10056 Jalebi Paratha]
* [http://fruitpages.recipezaar.com/32200 Amritsari Fish]
[[User:Doncram|Don]] 17:51, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

{{Herbs & spices}}

[[Category:Apiaceae]]
[[Category:Spices]]

Ajwain - Revision history

Envoy at 12:29, 17 July 2007