Caraway

Caraway (Carum carvi)

Caraway (pronounced: /ˈkærəweɪ/), also known as meridian fennel or Persian cumin (Carum carvi), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Etymology

The word "caraway" comes from the Medieval Latin carvi, which was borrowed from the Arabic karawya. The Latin term was then borrowed into Old English as carvi, which eventually evolved into the modern English term.

Description

The plant is similar in appearance to other members of the carrot family, with finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions, growing on 20–30 cm stems. The main flower stem is 40–60 cm tall, with small white or pink flowers in umbels. Caraway fruits (erroneously called seeds) are crescent-shaped achenes, around 2 mm long, with five pale ridges.

Uses

Caraway is used as a spice in breads, especially rye bread. Caraway is also used in desserts, liquors, casseroles, and other foods. It is also found in European cuisine. For example, it is used in caraway seed cake, and it is frequently added to sauerkraut.

The roots may be cooked as a vegetable like parsnips or carrots. Additionally, the leaves are sometimes consumed as herbs, either raw, dried, or cooked, similar to parsley.

In medicine, caraway is used for digestive problems including heartburn, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, and mild spasms of the stomach and intestines. Caraway oil is also used to help people cough up phlegm, improve control of urination, kill bacteria in the body, and relieve constipation.

Related Terms

• Apiaceae
• Achene
• Sauerkraut
• Parsley
• Cumin

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Caraway
• Wikipedia's article - Caraway

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