Carom Seed – A Fruit For Healing
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Coming from an Indian background, food smells were never lacking from my life. Fragrant aromas would waft through the entire house daily, instantly telling us what was cooking that day. Till date, when I open a jar of almond butter (how long does almond butter last?), I'm taken back to scents of roasted and ground ‘masala’ that would become the base of a creamy, rich mutton curry. Ah the power of childhood memories! Another nostalgic winter smell that was common growing up was that of roasted carom. Chewing on a spoon of roasted carom seeds (how long do seeds last?) was one of my mom's tried and tested remedies for many ordinary ailments.
Carom Seed
Though it is referred to as a seed, carom is surprisingly the fruit (What wine goes well with fruit?) of the carom plant from which both the leaves and fruit can be eaten. If you have seen carom seeds, they are tiny, pale brown, oval shaped seeds that come from the same family of plants, the Apiaceae. Other more familiar seeds from this family are cumin, caraway and fennel (how long does fennel last?). It flourishes in sandy soil in close to drought like conditions. The plant is mainly found in India And Iran, making it a regular addition to most Indian and Mediterranean dishes. It also features as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedic formulae. Chewing on a carom seed will give you a burst of spicy, cool and bitter taste, leaving your tongue numb. So, less is more is definitely a thought you should keep in mind when adding carom to your cooking.
Where Can I Find Carom?
You can find carom seeds at Indian food (What wine goes well with Indian food?) stores, online or in specialty spice shops easily. There are two forms that are available: seed and powdered. The seed form is mostly preferred as powdered carom can lose flavor and fragrance quite quickly. Choose a batch that looks fresh and crisp, with a strong smell. Carom stays fresh stored in an airtight glass container. I like keeping lesser used spices in the fridge, the coolness helps extend their shelf life.
Health Benefits Of Carom
Antibacterial And Antifungal
The active compounds in carom seeds, thymol and carvacrol, are known to have strong bacteria fighting and fungal fighting capabilities. Test tube studies show that carom maybe effective in fighting against E coli, candida albicans, streptococcus mutans and salmonella (commonly called food poisoning).
Anti-Spasmodic And Broncho Dilating Properties
Carom has been used since ancient times in traditional Indian medicine for treating the common cough. The volatile oils (thymol, Alpha and beta pinene & para-cymene) present in carom, are found to be effective in increasing airflow to the lungs and reducing cough. In a study with asthmatic patients, carom seed extract helped improve air flow at a level comparable to that of a common asthma medication.
In simpler terms, when you are suffering from irritating dry coughing bouts, brew a carom seed tisane and have it at least 3 times a day, either with a natural sweetener or plain. You will thank me later.
Relieves Indigestion, Bloating And Gas
Our sedentary lifestyles have resulted in many of us having poor gut health. Constipation and indigestion are complaints that every other individual today has. Probably one of the most effective home remedies against flatulence and indigestion is carom. The active compounds in carom seeds also combat peptic ulcers commonly caused by continual use of medication like ibuprofen.
A simple and super effective recipe that helps against gassy days is a powder made from roasting specific spices. Have half a teaspoon daily after meals for best results. If you are unable to eat this by itself, try brewing 1 teaspoon of the mixture in 1 cup of water for 6-8 minutes and having it as a hot beverage.
Carom seeds-2 tablespoons
Fennel seeds (how long do fennel seeds last?)- 2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds-1 tablespoon
Asafetida-1 teaspoon
Crushed Black salt (how long does black salt last?)- 1 teaspoon
Roast all spices and blend in a coffee blender to make a powder. Store in an airtight container and consume within a month.
Acts As An Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Chronic inflammation is another common ailment that is affecting a majority of the population across the world. Poor diet and inactive lifestyles are the major contributing factors for chronic inflammation. While carom is effective against chronic inflammation, it is not a long-term solution and unless the root cause is not fixed, the problem will prevail. Lowered elastase levels, an enzyme connected with inflammation were seen in rats that were given carom seed extract over 21 days.
As A Remedy For Common Cold
Carom seeds help clear out mucus and phlegm during a common cold. An effective steam inhalation technique to relieve a stuffy and congested nose is to add 1 tablespoon of carom seeds to a container of hot water and breathe it's vapors. I like to add a drop of eucalyptus oil into it too, Works like a charm!
Other Uses
Used as a galactagogue
Had for relief against menstrual cramps
Used for post-partum healing as tisanes
Cooking With Carom Seeds
Using Middle Eastern and Indian cooking, carom is added to flavor breads and savory pastries. It is also used as an ingredient in tempering dals. In many traditional Indian restaurants, customers are served with a post meal mouth freshener mix that consist of fennel, carom and sugar cubes. I like adding it to my pot of broth, both vegetarian and otherwise. It gives the broths a very earthy and powerful flavor. Carom is definitely one of the lesser used spices, but holds some real healing properties if adopted as a frequently used ingredient in our cooking.
