AJWAIN
Ajwain is little known outside of regional Indian cooking, but its powerful aromatic contribution and digestive properties makes it a spice worth getting to know.
Look to this video for a little more around ajwain and its Ayurvedic properties.
AJWAIN:
Ajwain is an Earth category spice. It is used in a masala to create texture, and to increase feelings of satiety.
Considered a powerful digestive spice in Ayurvedic thinking, ajwain is commonly used in traditional fried snacks that use besan flour as a base. The aromatic contribution of ajwain strong enough to push through the flour, the produce, and the frying—it also aids in the digestive process when consuming heavy foods.
Alternative names for ajwain include carom and bishop’s weed.
Outside of Indian cuisine, use ajwain in heavy dishes to create an accent flavour, and to lighten the digestive impact. Consider using ajwain in a slow cooked beef dish, with marinated ribs—pork or beef—or to add dimension to fried potatoes.
Try mixing a teaspoon of ajwain seeds in chapatti, samosa, or pakora flours to increase flavour and aid digestion.