Ajwain Seed, Bishop's Weed - Health Benefits
Ajwain Seed, Bishop's Weed, Ajowan Caraway, Carom Seeds, or Thymol Seeds Ajwain is a popular spice throughout India. It used in savory snacks like Farsan. Ajwain seeds are found in most Indian households due to their medicinal properties. Ajwain is considered to be an effective medicine for treating indigestion. Ajwain goes well with fish and curries. It has a strong aroma when crushed. Otherwise, the seeds have little aroma. It has hot taste and burning feeling on the tongue.
Ajwain is called Omam in the southern part of India. Omam (Ajwain) water that is the water distilled from the seeds in an excellent carminative that cures flatulence, indigestion & low appetite. This water is a household medicine not only in south India but also in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and even in some Arabian countries.
The part used of the plant is the seeds or fruit. It looks like cumin or caraway seeds, however, it has a bitter taste like thyme only stronger. The seeds are small, gray-green in color and quite peppery when raw, but milder when cooked.
Ajwain is very aromatic but less subtle in taste. It is slightly bitter, pungent and strong. Even a small amount of Ajwain dominates the taste of a dish. In India, Ajwain is never used raw, but is either roasted or fried in ghee, which is done to develop a stronger and more prominent aroma. It is primary used as a digestive aid and ant emetic.
Ajwain is a close relative of dill, caraway and cumin and belongs to the same family. In India, its also called the bishop's weed, carom or ova and is particularly used in the delicate vegetarian fare from the state of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Ajwain seeds are tiny, oval and ridged. The grayish-green seeds are curved and look like miniature cumin seeds. The fragrance of the spice is very similar to that of cumin. Chewed on their own for their medicinal value, the seeds taste bitingly hot and bitter.
Health Benefits1. Here’s how Ajwain can be used in simple remedies for treating a variety of ailments:If one is bothered by bad breadth, chewing on a mixture of Ajwain seeds and fennel seeds (Saunf) or Suva seeds can act as an effective mouth freshener.
2. To ease a toothache, gargle with some boiled water to which is added one teaspoon of ground Ajwain and a little salt. Repeat the process two to three times a day.
3. Sore throat and hoarse voice?. No problem with Ajwain around. Simply add a quarter to half teaspoon of Ajwain to some warm milk to make a ready concoction to soothe the throat.
4. A natural inhaler for easing a cold can be made by crushing a tablespoon of Ajwain seeds and tying the powder in a small cloth bundle.
5. As for a cough, all one needs to do is chew a little Ajwain and follow this by drinking some hot water.
6. For bronchitis or asthma, having a teaspoonful of Ajwain with hot water every morning and evening will give some relief.
7.
Stomach upset and Gas - Take some Ajwain, a pinch of salt and add some lime or lemon juice, let the lime juice get completely absorbed inside the Ajwain, once it feels dry store it in a glass bottle, take a pinch of this Ajwain and chew it, it is an excellent digestive aid while suffering from inflatuence (gas)
