Ajwain Tincture & Alcohol-Free Extract

Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) is an annual of the carrot family, Apiaceae, probably native to the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt and grown for centuries across Iran, Afghanistan, and India, where it is a kitchen spice. It is a small, erect herb 30 to 90 centimeters tall with finely divided feathery leaves and flat umbels of tiny white flowers. The so-called seeds are actually tiny ridged, grey-brown fruits that look like small celery or caraway seeds; they are rich in thymol and smell and taste sharply of thyme, with a bitter, pungent, slightly numbing bite. Indian cooks fry them in hot oil for breads and lentil dishes. We extract the dried seed.