The Science of Spice

(Jacob Rumans) #1

200 Spice Profiles


Ajwain was valued as a medicinal spice
from ancient times, and was probably
first cultivated in Egypt. The Romans
believed it to be a variety of cumin –
hence the common name “Ethiopian
cumin.” It is believed to have reached
India, where it became popular, via the
spice caravans at around the same time
as cumin seed, soon after 750 ce. It was
given a number of misleading names


  • “celery seed” and “lovage seed”
    were the most common ones – which
    persist to this day, even though the
    taste is very different. For centuries,
    regions of India practising Ayurvedic
    medicine have been making a cure-all
    tonic “omam water” from ajwain seeds.
    Although the plant is now mainly
    cultivated for its potent essential oil,
    ajwain is one of the defining spices
    of the vegetarian cuisine of the west
    Indian state of Gujarat.


Region of cultivation
Ajwain is probably native to the Middle
East, possibly Egypt. It is now cultivated
mainly in India and Iran, but also in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, and Egypt.

Whole
South Indian seeds have the highest levels
of thymol (up to 98 per cent of the flavour
compound molecules). Whole seeds retain a
strong flavour for a very long time.

Powder
Ground ajwain is available to buy and is less
bitter than whole or fresh ground seeds, but
adds a much weaker flavour to a dish.

Flat heads
of small white
flowers appear,
which later
develop into
tiny “seeds”
IRAN

EGYPT

AFGHANISTAN


PAKISTAN INDIA


AJWAIN


Bitter | Herbaceous | Peppery


Spice story


The plant
Ajwain is a small annual plant in
the parsley family, and is closely
related to caraway and cumin.

BOTANICAL NAME


Trachyspermum ammi

ALSO KNOWN AS


Ajowan, ajave, carom, Ethiopian
cumin, omum, bishop’s weed.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND


Thymol.

PARTS USED


Seeds (technically fruits).

METHOD OF CULTIVATION


The stems are cut when the seeds are
ripe, around two months after flowering.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION


Stems are dried, threshed, and sieved;
seeds are then graded and grouped by size.

NON-CULINARY USES


In perfumes; as an antiseptic agent in
toothpastes; in Ayurvedic medicine to
treat digestive disorders, rheumatism,
arthritis, and fevers.

Oval seeds
are greyish-
green and
resemble those
of caraway

200-201_Ajwain.indd 200 13/07/2018 11:44

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