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AJWAIN
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Description:
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 greyish-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.
Use:
You can vary the flavour of rotis, parathas, khakhras, matris etc by adding ajwain seeds.
Ajwain leaves make crispy bhajias that can be relished with a chutney of your choice.
Take advantage of the medicinal benefits of ajwain by adding it to tempering in dals and vegetables, salad dressings, and savoury preparations.
Ajwain is particularly popular for enhancing zesty Indian recipes like the Bengali spice mixture panch phoron.
In Indian cooking, ajwain is commonly added to deep-fried foods, such as fritters, to aid digestion. You can also promote digestion by having, after lunch, a glass of buttermilk or lassi to which a pinch of ajwain has been added.
The attraction of a meal is not only in its taste, but also in its smell. Adding a pinch of ajwain to rice as it is cooking enhances both aroma and flavour.
It is customary to follow a nice meal by chewing on a little mukhwas. This mixture of fennel seeds (saunf), dill seeds, dried coconut, sesame seeds (til), dhania dal, nuts and ajwain seeds, is believed to aid digestion. Mukhwas is also a good mouth freshener.
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How to store:
Store in cool dry place in an airtight container.
Health Benefits
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.
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.
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.
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. As for a cough, all one needs to do is chew a little ajwain and follow this by drinking some hot water.
For bronchitis or asthma, having a teaspoonful of ajwain with hot water every morning and evening will give some relief.
To get rid of Indigestion and flatulence, combine one teaspoon of ajwain with two pinches of salt or with betel leaves. Chew the combination, swallow it and then hear yourself sigh with relief as you get rid of the discomfort.
To enhance appetite, all one needs to do is swallow a teaspoon of ajwain with or without water 3 to 4 times a day.
Ajwain oil can help relieve earache with just one or two drops in the ear.
The oil can also be used to massage legs and knees to get relief from pain if one is suffering from arthritis.
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