What Is Ajwain (Carom) Seed?

A Guide to Buying, Cooking, and Storing Ajwain Seed

Carom (Ajwain) seeds

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Ajwain (pronounced uj-wine) is a seed-like fruit often used in Indian cooking as part of a spice mixture. It looks similar to fennel and cumin seeds and is highly fragrant, smelling like thyme. Its taste, however, is more like oregano and anise due to the bitter notes and strong flavor. Because of its pungency, a little goes a long way. Grown in India and Iran, ajwain, also known as carom seeds or bishops weed, is rarely eaten raw and instead is cooked before adding to a recipe. It is sold in both seed and powder form, although cooking with seeds is more common.

What Is Ajwain?

Like coriander, ​cumin, and fennel, ajwain belongs to the Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) family of plants. The shrub's leaves are feather-like and the plant's fruit—often referred to as seeds—are pale khaki-colored, ridged in texture, and oval-shaped. Ajwain has been used since ancient times in cooking and for medicinal purposes and is part of Indian, Middle Eastern, and African cooking.

Origins

The ajwain plant is thought to have originated in Persia (Iran) and Asia Minor (what is now Turkey). From there, it spread to India and is now also grown in the Middle East and North Africa. Other names for ajwain are ajowan, ajowan caraway, ajave seeds, ajvain, ajwan, Ethiopian cumin, omam, and omum, depending on where it's used in the world.

What Does It Taste Like?

Because both thyme and ajwain contain the compound thymol, the Indian spice emits similar notes as the green herb. However, ajwain also combines this earthy, mint taste with the bitterness found in oregano, the bite of cumin, and the licorice flavor of anise, which mostly appears after the fact. Carom makes a complex and powerful statement and can overwhelm other ingredients.

Cooking With Ajwain

Because of its strong, dominant flavor, ajwain is used in small quantities and is almost always cooked. In Indian cooking, the spice is often part of the tadka in a dish. Tadka, or tempering, is a cooking method in which oil or butter (most often ghee) is heated until very hot, and whole spices are added and fried, creating what is called a chaunk. This oil and spice mixture is then incorporated into lentil dishes or added as a final touch or garnish to a dish. 

If cooking a dish high in fat or starch, raw or cooked ajwain can be added toward the end of the recipe; its sharpness is a pleasant counterpart to the richness of the ingredients. Otherwise, the seed benefits from a long cooking time as the heat mellows out the thyme flavor and brings out more of the anise aftertaste. The seeds are also used in bread and biscuit dough and then sprinkled over the top when baked.

If a recipe calls for powdered carom, the seeds should be roasted, cooled, and then ground into a fine powder.

Recipes With Ajwain

In Indian recipes, ajwain is used in curries and as a tadka in pakoras and dals, as well as a flavoring in breads. Middle Eastern recipes incorporate carom to boost the flavor of meat and rice dishes and as a preservative in chutneys, pickles, and jams.

Where to Buy Ajwain

Ajwain seed can be found in Indian food markets, specialty spice shops, and online. Although it is most often sold in seed form, if you do find powdered, it is best to pass up as the flavor will have diminished; instead, buy the seeds and grind them at home as needed. Most often, you will find the spice offered in bulk or packaged in plastic bags. Choose carom seeds that look fresh and crisp with a strong smell; ajwain that has been sitting on a shelf a long time will have lost much of its scent.

Storage

If the ajwain was sold in bulk or in a plastic bag, it will need to be transferred to another container. If you have a large amount, place some in a recycled spice jar or small glass container and pour the rest into a larger glass container. (Glass does not absorb flavor like plastic can.) Store the carom seed in a cool, dark place where it will last for at least a year.