Ajwain

Trachyspermum ammi · carom seed

Thyme's fierce little cousin.

What it is

Ajwain are tiny, pale, ridged seeds with a startling punch — sharply herbal and thyme-like, because they share the compound thymol. A pinch flavours a whole batch of bread or fritters; more than that overwhelms. Raw they are almost harsh; cooked in fat they mellow.

Where it comes from

Grown across the subcontinent, ajwain belongs especially to breads, fried snacks and the pastry-like dishes of the north and west, and to pickles, where its thyme-note cuts richness.

What it's called

Ajwain · carom seed · ajowan (Hindi). Botanically Trachyspermum ammi.

In the kitchen

A pinch goes into bread doughs (paratha, the pastry of samosas), fritter batters and pickles, and blooms in oil for tempering dals. Its thyme-like sharpness is powerful — used by the pinch, not the spoon.

What we know about the claims

Ajwain has a strong folk-reputation as a digestive, particularly for the heaviness of fried food, with some preliminary study behind thymol; used in pinches, it is a flavour with a settling name. An everyday spice.

Choosing and buying

Sold whole in every South Asian grocer (UK and US); a small pack lasts a long time given how little you use. Buy whole.