Caraway: Finding exotic in ordinary

Caraway is my favourite spice. I love the aniseed-like depth it gives to cooking. I can’t seem to stop myself adding the seeds to vegetables I am about to roast, cheese scones and cauliflower just-about-anything. Because it hasn’t always been a staple flavour in my kitchen, it feels like I am being a little adventurous when I cook with it. Except I’m not. I’m really not. Caraway is the most ordinary of spices, present throughout the history of almost every cuisine.

The most ordinary of spices

Caraway has been used across the globe for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used the seeds in their burial rites and the Greeks and Romans used the plant in both food and medicine. It’s not one of the superstar-spices like nutmeg, cinnamon or pepper that drove the exploration of the ‘new’ world. Instead, it is a ubiquitous spice that has been used throughout history and cultivated across the world. It features prominently in the cuisines of Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. It is also a key ingredient in North African harissa and an essential flavouring for the sauerkraut and rye breads of Eastern Europe. Some Indian garam masala mixes also use caraway.

This unassuming spice is also the subject of much folklore. Most of the superstitions are around loyalty and fidelity. In the past, it’s been used in love potions to keep sweethearts faithful, tucked among belongings to keep them safe from theft or fed to pigeons to keep them from straying.

Lingering, aniseed-like flavour

Caraway is actually a herb as well as a spice. The leaves, stem and flowers of the plant are useful (making it a herb), as well as other parts of the of plant, like the root and seeds (which also make it a spice). Although I have to say, I’ve never used (or even seen) the leaves myself. It has a lingering, slightly aniseed-like flavour that adds depth to vegetable dishes and cuts through the richness of meat. The seeds themselves look like cumin seeds, but are darker in colour. They are easily confused, so be sure to smell them before you add them to cooking to make sure you have chosen the right seeds.

Always buy whole seeds. Grind them yourself if you need to, but I usually use them whole. Sprinkling caraway seeds over cauliflower and carrots as they roast lifts these ordinary vegetables into something bordering on sublime. If you are experimenting with spice for the first time, err on the side of caution with the amount that you use as the flavour can be overpowering.

Caraway spice mix

I like using this spice mix in black bean burritos, lamb meatballs and subtly spiced sausage rolls. It’s inspired by something I found in “Three Good Things” by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

• 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. In a dry frying pan over a medium heat, warm spices until they start to release their flavours (about 1 minute).

2. Remove from heat and transfer to a grinder or mortar and pestle and crush/grind the seeds into a powder.

3. Use instead of other flavouring spices when making burritos or tacos.

This blog and recipe originally appeared on my decommissioned blog Easy Green Recipes.