Ajowan (pronounced aj’o-wen) is a member of the Umbelliferae family, which has some 2,700 members including dill, caraway and cumin. It is mostly found in Indian cooking, where it is also known as bishop’s weed or carom. It is particularly suited to the delicate vegetarian fare found in the state of Gujarat.


Spice Description

Ajowan seeds are used as a spice. The grayish-green seeds are striped and curved (similar to cumin or caraway seeds in appearance), often with a fine silk stalk attached. They are usually sold whole. The seeds are often chewed on their own for medicinal value, tasting bitingly hot and bitter, leaving the tongue numb for a while. Cooking ajowan mellows it somewhat, When crushed, they have a strong and distinctive thyme-like fragrance

Bouquet: a pungent thyme/cumin fragrance

Flavour: a harsh thyme-like flavour with a bit of a kick, leaving a milder, pleasant aftertaste

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