| Ajwain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowers ofTrachyspermum ammi | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Trachyspermum |
| Species: | T. ammi |
| Binomial name | |
| Trachyspermum ammi | |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
Ajwain orajowan (Trachyspermum ammi)[3] (/ˈædʒəwɒn/) —also known asajowan caraway,thymol seeds,bishop's weed, orcarom—is anannualherb in the familyApiaceae.[4] Both the leaves and theseed‑likefruit (often mistakenly called seeds) of the plant are consumed by humans. The name "bishop's weed" also is a common name for other plants. The "seed" (i.e., the fruit) is often confused withlovage seed.[5]
Ajwain's small, oval, seed-like fruits are pale brownschizocarps, which resemble the seeds of other plants in the family Apiaceae such ascaraway,cumin andfennel.[6] They have a bitter and pungent taste, with a flavor similar toanise andoregano. They smell likethyme because they also containthymol, but they are more aromatic and less subtle in taste, as well as being somewhat bitter and pungent.[6] Even a small number of fruits tend to dominate the flavor of a dish.[5]
Trachyspermum ammi, commonly known as ajwain, is known by different names across India.[7][8][better source needed]
| Language | Vernacular Name | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | Ajwain | अजवाइन |
| Sanskrit | Yavani | यवानी |
| Gujarati | Ajmo | અજમો |
| Tamil | Omam | ஓமம் |
| Telugu | Vamu | వాము |
| Kannada | Oma | ಓಮ |
| Malayalam | Ayamodakam | അയമോദകം |
| Marathi | Owa | ओवा |
| Bengali | Jowan | জোয়ান |
| Odia | Juani | ଜୁଆଣି |
| Nepali | Jwano | ज्वानो |
Ajwain grows in dry, barren soil in its indigenous regions of India, Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of northern Africa.[6]Gujarat andRajasthan are regions in India well-known for cultivating ajwain.[9]
The fruits are rarely eaten raw; they are commonlydry-roasted or fried inghee (clarified butter). This allows the spice to develop a more subtle and complex aroma. It is widely used in thecuisine of the Indian subcontinent, often as part of achaunk (also called atarka), a mixture of spices – sometimes with a little chopped garlic or onion – fried in oil or clarified butter, which is used to flavor a dish at the end of cooking. InAfghanistan, the fruits are sprinkled over bread and biscuits.[10]
Other applications of ajwain include incorporating the seeds in specific types of breads, such as naans and parathas. The seeds can also be used as a mouth freshener when mixed with lemon juice and black pepper and then dried, or can be used as an ingredient in hot tea.[6]
The seeds are also used inEthiopian cuisine, where they are callednetch azmud, "Ethiopian caraway", or "white cumin".[11]
Ajwain is used inherbalism practices, such asAyurveda, in the belief that it can treat various disorders.[6][12] However, there is no good evidence that ajwain is effective as a therapy for treating any disease.[6]
Pregnant women should avoid ajwain due to potentialadverse effects on fetal development, and its use is discouraged while breastfeeding.[6] In high amounts taken orally, ajwain can result in fatal poisoning.[6] People takingnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs orantiplatelet medications are susceptible to adverse effects from ajwain ingestion, as ajwain has anti-clotting activity of its own.[6]
Hydrodistillation of ajwain fruits yields anessential oil consisting primarily ofthymol,γ-terpinene,p-cymene, and more than 20 trace compounds which are predominantlyterpenoids.[6][13]
