Natural Living Cuisine

Caraway Seeds

February 19th, 2008 | by Ingrid

[Carum carvi]

What we refer as seeds is actually tiny striated beige to dark brown fruits of the caraway plant.

This fruit is tasty adding distinctive flavor to vegetables, such as cabbage [green and red], cauliflower, beets, turnips, and carrots. Pair caraway with apples or try it in soup, cake, and cookie recipes.

Buying the fruits whole and processing [bruising, grinding, crushing, etc.] as needed not only ensures keeping its potent flavor, but a long shelf life. When crushed its volatile oils [carvone and limonene] release a sweet pungent perfume. It is a pleasant aroma reminiscent of anise and dill and the flavor is just as delightful. Beside volatile oils, caraway contains carbohydrates and proteins.

If you are not fond of caraway’s taste a good substitute is dill seed in savory dishes or just omit from the recipe. Other options for those who appreciate the taste but caraway is not on hand are: angelica, dill and fennel or better yet ½ anise and ½ dill seeds.

TWO DRINKS FEATURING CARAWAY

I truly enjoy the flavor of caraway. How happy was I when I discovered I could drink it as tea. Recently I found I could also use it to flavor raw nut milks. Here are two drink recipes I hope you will try.

CARAWAY TEA

Steep 1-2 tablespoons of bruised/pressed fruits to 1 cup cold spring or filtered water for 6 hours. Strain and enjoy as is or sweeten your choice of sweetener.

CARAWAY ALMOND MILK

Place 1 cup soaked almonds or 2 heaping tablespoons raw almond butter, and 2 tablespoons crushed caraway fruits in a blender. If you’d like, add a tablespoon of sweetener such as agave or raw honey. Blend until smooth. Strain and enjoy.

LET’S NOT STOP AT THE FRUIT

Though the caraway plant is mostly grown for its fruits, the young leaves and the root are also edible. It is a biennial herb meaning it takes two seasons or second year to complete its growing cycle, to mature.

If you are growing caraway, you can harvest the delicate foliage to use as you would chervil or parsley.

The root can be harvested at the end of the second season after you harvest the fruits [better known as seeds] from the plant. Enjoy the root as you would carrots or parsnips.

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