caraway seed
The small, curved, ridged seed of the caraway plant, with a distinctive anise-like, slightly peppery flavor; classic in rye bread and some German and Central European dishes. The flavor is concentrated and a little goes a long way -- toasting the seeds briefly in a dry pan before use intensifies their aroma noticeably.
Buying guidance
Buy from a store with good turnover so the seeds are reasonably fresh, and check that they smell strongly aromatic when the jar is opened -- a faded, dusty smell means most of the flavor is already gone. Whole seeds keep their aroma far longer than ground caraway, which loses potency within weeks.
Substitutions
- Fennel seed -- similar anise-like note, sweeter and less peppery; use a bit less to avoid an overly sweet licorice flavor.
- Dill seed -- echoes some of the same aromatic family, milder and grassier.
- Anise seed -- much stronger licorice flavor; use sparingly, about half the amount.
Tips & common mistakes
Ground caraway is noticeably more intense, sometimes bitter, than the same amount of whole seed, since grinding releases more of the essential oil at once -- start with less if substituting ground for whole. Toasting the whole seeds briefly in a dry pan before use cracks the seed coat and brings out aroma that raw seeds largely keep locked in.
Storage
Whole seeds hold good flavor for a couple of years properly sealed, longer than most ground spices, since the intact seed coat protects the oil inside from air.