carom seeds

What is carom seeds, ajwain, bishops weed ? glossary | benefits | uses | recipes | Viewed 97642 times

Also Known as

Ajwain, bishops weed, Thymol seeds, Ajma, Ajmodika, Onum, Thymol seeds, Carom Seeds, Bishop's weed

What is Ajwain, Carom Seeds?

An herb belonging to the cumin and parsley family, carom seeds (ajwain) are tiny, erect and oval-shaped with a sharp and penetrating taste. It has been used since ancient times for its culinary, aromatic and medicinal properties. Carom seeds are mostly used in whole form, and very rarely as a powder.

Carom seeds powder
To make carom seeds powder, first roast the seeds on a low flame, cool and then grind to powder. This powder comes handy for culinary and medical purposes.

How to Select ajwain, carom seeds

• Ajwain is mostly sold as whole seeds, as that is the most common form in which it is used in Indian cooking.
• Choose seeds that look crisp and fresh, and have a strong aroma.
• Checked the date of packing and choose a recent lot, as very old stock would have lost much of its aroma.
• Avoid buying from open bins to avoid contamination. When buying packaged also, inspect it as well as possible to avoid contamination by stones, debris, etc.
• If you require ajwain powder, buy the whole seeds and grind at home.

10 Uses of Ajwain (Carom Seeds)

Ajwain is an herb belonging to the cumin and parsley family that are tiny, erect and oval-shaped with a sharp and penetrating taste. It has been used since ancient times for its culinary, aromatic and medicinal properties.

1. Due to the strong aroma and distinctive taste of ajwain it is used as part of the tadka for many dishes, especially dals and subzis like Mooli ki Subzi and Rangoon na vaal.

2. Carom seeds are the popular choice of seeds added to the dough and batter of various street food items and snacks, the most common one of which is Samosa. It is also added to the batter of Fafda, which has a distinct ajwain taste, paneer pakodas and bhajiyas.

3. You can also add a little ajwain when preparing the dough for paratha and rotis as it imparts a wonderful, penetrating aroma when the paratha roasts on the Tava. Missi roti is a Rajasthani roti typically known for its significant use of ajwain and is eaten with a launji.

For complete uses of Ajwain (Carom Seeds) read this article.

How to Store

• It can be kept fresh in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place.
• It will stay fresh for a year.

Health benefits of carom seeds, ajwain

Carom seeds are good for digestion. Its active compound thymol helps in the secretion of digestive juices in the stomach which prevents indigestion. To overcome stomach pain, acidity, bloating and flatulence ajwain is a very good remedy. Ajwain water is also known to help boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. Including ajwain in the form of Ajwain Roti will be good for those suffering from high BP. See here detailed benefits of carom seeds, ajwain.

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