The curved, ridged seed of a biennial in the carrot family, with a warm, sharp, slightly minty flavour from carvone. Central to northern and central European rye bread, cabbage and cheese.
What it is¶
Caraway is the dried fruit of Carum carvi, a biennial plant of the carrot family with finely divided leaves and umbels of white or pinkish flowers. The "seeds" are narrow, curved crescents, dark brown with five pale ridges, and about 4–5 mm long.
Caraway is often confused with cumin, partly because the seeds look similar and partly because of language: in German, caraway is Kümmel and cumin is Kreuzkümmel, and in several other languages the names overlap. In South Asia, "shahi jeera" or "kala jeera" can mean either black cumin (Bunium persicum), nigella or caraway depending on the seller, which causes endless recipe confusion. They taste quite different: cumin is earthy and musky, caraway sharper and brighter.
Origins and history¶
Caraway has a long history in Europe and western Asia. Seeds have been found at prehistoric lake-dwelling sites in Switzerland, although it is not always clear whether they were cultivated or gathered. It was known to Greek and Roman writers and was widely grown in medieval Europe, including in Britain, where it went into breads, cakes and comfits (sugar-coated seeds).
Caraway seed cake was a staple of British tea tables from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century, and roasted apples with caraway were a traditional pairing. Folklore credited the seed with the power to prevent theft or keep lovers faithful, which says more about its popularity than its properties.
Flavour and aroma¶
The main aroma compound is (S)-carvone. Its mirror-image molecule, (R)-carvone, is the smell of spearmint, which may be why caraway has a faintly minty, cooling note. Around that sit warm, peppery, slightly anise-like tones and a mild bitterness. Cooking in bread or with cabbage softens it into something savoury and rounded.
In the kitchen¶
- Bread. Rye bread across Germany, Scandinavia, the Baltic states, Poland and Jewish delis owes much of its familiar flavour to caraway.
- Cabbage. Sauerkraut, braised red cabbage, coleslaw and cabbage soups; caraway is widely believed to make brassicas easier to digest, a traditional claim rather than an established one.
- Meat and potatoes. Hungarian goulash, Austrian roast pork (Schweinsbraten), sausages, potato salads and roast potatoes.
- Cheese. Caraway-studded cheeses such as some Havarti and Tilsit styles; caraway is a classic partner to Munster in Alsace.
- North Africa. Tunisian harissa and the spice mix tabil often include caraway. See north-african-cuisine.
- Drinks. Kümmel liqueur and Scandinavian aquavit are flavoured with caraway, sometimes alongside dill.
- Baking. British seed cake: 1–2 tsp seeds in a Madeira-style sponge.
In a loaf, use about 1–2 tsp per 500 g flour; for a pot of sauerkraut or cabbage for four, ½–1 tsp. Lightly crushing or toasting the seeds releases more flavour.
Buying and storing¶
Whole seeds keep for two to three years in an airtight jar; ground caraway fades within months. Good seeds are dark, glossy and strongly aromatic when crushed.
Substitutes¶
Dill seed is the closest in character, slightly milder. Fennel seed is sweeter and more anise-like. In North African dishes, a little cumin with a pinch of fennel works. Do not swap cumin for caraway in rye bread: it tastes like a different loaf.
Pairs well with¶
Rye, cabbage, potatoes, pork, duck, goose, apples, onions, beetroot, cheese, paprika, garlic, juniper, dill, coriander seed, cumin.
Growing your own¶
Caraway is a hardy biennial and easy in temperate gardens. Sow directly in spring or late summer in sun and well-drained soil; it forms a leafy rosette the first year and flowers and sets seed in the second summer. Harvest when the seeds begin to brown, cutting whole umbels into a paper bag to finish drying. The young leaves can be used like parsley and the roots cooked like parsnip. Let a few heads drop seed and the patch will renew itself. See growing-your-own-spices.