The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | WARMING TERPENES | Caraway 109

D-carvone

(spearmint)

S-carvone

(caraway)

Caraway has a complex, warming taste, and its flavour can be found in many

central European dishes. It is a key component of the Algerian and Tunisian

blend tabil, and may be used in harissa, the chilli-based paste from North Africa.

S-CARVONE

spicy | menthol |

liquorice

LIMONENE

citrus | herby |

turpentine

SABINENE

woody | orangey |

spicy

Kitchen

inspiration

FOOD PARTNERS

Cabbage, beetroot Add

ground to buttered cabbage, and

whole to beetroot slaw or soup.

Red meats Stir into sausage,

beef, or lamb stews, or use to flavour

dumplings and serve on the side.

Duck, goose Massage a mix

of ground caraway, salt, and garlic

over duck and goose, before roasting.

Oily fish Combine with pepper,

fennel, and coriander in a cure.

Swiss cheese Drop a pinch of

ground caraway into silky fondue.

Biscuits Sprinkle the seeds

over just-baked shortbread.

pair with other limonenes

to strengthen the

zesty edge:

cardamom also

brings sweetness and

penetrating herbiness

black pepper adds

gentle pungency and

enhances the pepperiness

ginger has a

complementary citrus

background, and brings

characteristic heat to a dish

bring depth to liquorice/

anise notes through

related compounds:

anise and star anise

are also liquorice-like, due to

medicinal anethole, and both

bring woody warmth

cinnamon and allspice

feature the very similar

eugenol and will bring out

the sweetness in caraway

enhance the sweet

citrus notes with

more sabinene:

nutmeg and mace are

both partly dominated by

sabinene and add a rich

sweetness

BLENDING SCIENCE

The most abundant flavour compound is the oil-loving terpene S-carvone,

which, unlike most terpenes, confers a powerfully spicy flavour, with

hints of menthol and rye, reminiscent of anise. The other major flavour

compounds are citrusy limonene, with lesser amounts of woody sabinene.

Mirror-image compounds

S-carvone, the main flavour compound in caraway, has

exactly the same molecular structure as D-carvone, the

cooling, minty flavour compound found in spearmint.

However, they are mirror images, which means these

twin chemicals produce completely different aromas,

and caraway’s flavour is spearmint turned inside out!

BLEND TO TRY

Try this recipe for a classic blend

featuring caraway, and why not

adapt it with some blending science?

Harissa p33

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Cook with oil to allow flavour compounds

to dissolve and add late in cooking if

using ground caraway.

Dry frying caraway increases the

flavour intensity, but take care not to

over-toast, which makes them bitter.

130°C (266°F) –

180°C (356°F)

CARAWAY

Cw

O O

H H

108-109_Caraway.indd 109 04/06/2018 15:55