Caraway of commerce
is the fruit of a biennial herb. The plant
has a fleshy root and slender branched
stem that attains a height of 0.5 to 0.6
mtrs, with small white flowers in compound
umbels. The fruit when ripened splits
into narrow elongated carpel, 4 to 6.5mm
long, curved, pointed at ends with 5 longitudinal
ridges on the surface. The dried fruit
is brown in colour has pleasant odour
is with sharp taste. Seeds are hard and
sharp to touch.
Origin and Distribution
It is a
native of North and Central Europe and is
extensively cultivated in Holland, Russia,
Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Rumania, Syria,
Morocco, and to a small extent in England,
and US. It is cultivated as a cold season
crop in the hills of Kashmir and Kumaon at
an altitude of above 2750 MSL.
Uses
Caraway
is widely used as a spice for culinary purposes
and for flavouring bread, biscuits, cakes
and cheese. It is also used for seasoning
sausages and as medicine.
