What is Ajwain?

There are ingredients that enter a kitchen quietly, content to remain in the background.

Ajwain is not one of them.

If you have never encountered it, ajwain (also called carom) is a spice commonly used in Indian cooking. The little ridged pieces look rather like cumin seeds, although they are technically dried fruits. They may be small, but they have an almost unreasonable amount of personality.

For generations, it has appeared in breads, savoury snacks and dishes across the Indian subcontinent.

***

What Does It Taste Like? 🤔

Imagine thyme meeting oregano, with a peppery warmth and a slightly bitter, almost medicinal edge. Ajwain is sharp, earthy and wonderfully aromatic. Its distinctive scent comes largely from thymol, a naturally occurring compound also found in thyme.

A little goes a long way. Tip in too much and your other ingredients might as well pack their bags and leave. Used sparingly, however, it lends baked goods a savoury warmth that is difficult to mistake for anything else.

***

What About Its Health Benefits? 🤔

Ajwain has a long history in traditional South Asian cooking and home remedies, particularly in connection with digestion. It has often been taken after meals or brewed into warm water when people felt bloated or uncomfortable.

Scientists have also investigated thymol and other compounds in ajwain for antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Much of that research, however, comes from laboratory work rather than strong clinical evidence in people. There is no reliable basis for treating an ajwain biscuit as a remedy for indigestion (even though it might make you think you feel better), however tempting that proposition might be.

***

Why Do I Bake With It? 🤔

At The Prancing Pony Bakery, I wanted to make a biscuit that was a little unexpected. Ajwain gives a pleasing contrast to the gentle sweetness of the dough: fragrant, savoury and slightly peppery, without turning the whole enterprise into a spice cupboard.

It is, I think, a rather underappreciated ingredient. Not a miracle cure. Not a passing food fad. Just a small, characterful spice with centuries of culinary history...and one that deserves a place at the biscuit table.

***

Interested?

The Prancing Pony's Original Spiced Biscuits are a delicate combination of ajwain and vanilla.

Order today in boxes of 9, 12 or 15 by simply clicking here