Carom Seed (Ajwain) Substitutes: Why Thyme Comes First

Out of carom seed? Dried thyme is your best bet, and Mexican oregano works if you want more punch. Carom seeds, sold in Indian shops as ajwain, taste “similar to thyme, but stronger and less subtle,” in Gernot Katzer’s words,¹ and ajwain’s oil is dominated by thymol,² the same compound found naturally in thyme oil.³ The tricky case is a tadka, where whole seeds sizzle in hot oil: put cumin seeds in the pan and add a pinch of thyme at the end.

Quick answer

How the ratios on this page are labeled

• Computed: based on a measurable physical relationship.
• Attributed: a named source publishes this ratio. We quote it as theirs.
• Disputed: named sources give different answers to the same swap. You get each one, side by side.
• Method: our starting point, based on how the two compare. Taste and adjust.

If carom is giving a thyme-like bite

This is ajwain’s main job. Legumes (lentils and beans) are its most important use, and toasted or fried ajwain goes well with potatoes or fish. It’s also in the Rajasthani biscuits called mathari.¹

1. Dried thyme

Thyme’s signature flavor compounds include thymol,⁴ and that shared thymol is why Katzer’s thyme comparison holds up.

There are two catches. First, thyme varies chemically, and some thyme is low in thymol,⁴ so your jar of dried thyme may be more or less thymol-forward than you’d expect. Second, by Katzer’s description, ajwain is the stronger of the two.¹

Ratio (Method): Start with the same volume of dried thyme as carom seed, taste, and add more if the dish needs more bite.

2. Mexican oregano

Mexican oregano is a different plant from regular oregano, and its oil is unusually rich in thymol. Its flavor is stronger, sharper and more pungent than true oregano.⁵ After thyme, it’s the closest match to ajwain’s sharpness.

Ratio (Method): Start with three quarters of the carom amount and adjust.

If carom seeds are sizzled in oil

In tadka, Katzer writes, ajwain is fried in fat, often with cumin and chiles, and the fat goes over cooked lentils. He notes that most spice aroma compounds dissolve much better in fat than in water.¹ A substitute is hard to find here. Dried leaves don’t behave like seeds in hot oil.

1. Cumin seeds plus dried thyme

Cumin seeds give you the sizzle and a toasted seed in the oil, but not the flavor, since cumin doesn’t have ajwain’s thymol. To bring back the thymol note, add a pinch of dried thyme to the oil at the very end, or stir it into the finished dish. America’s Test Kitchen counts thyme as a hearty herb whose flavor compounds hold up to heat somewhat better than delicate herbs.⁶ We didn’t find anyone who’s published this combination; it’s just the closest fix we can suggest.

Ratio (Method): If the recipe already has cumin, add a little more of it. If not, start with half the carom amount in cumin seed. Add dried thyme by the pinch.

If you only need a mild herbal note

1. Mediterranean oregano

Oregano runs on the same two sharp compounds as thyme, though in oregano, carvacrol usually leads over thymol.⁷ So you get ajwain’s phenolic sharpness, with a more oregano-like tone.

Ratio (Method): Start one for one and taste.

2. Marjoram

Marjoram is the weakest match. The University of Delaware Extension rates it as a medium-strength herb and notes that long cooking costs herbs their flavor.⁸ Use it when nothing better’s on hand, and add it late.

Ratio (Method): Start one for one, then add more to taste.

Substitutes that don’t fit

• Tarragon. PROSEA describes its scent as sweet and anise-like.⁹ There’s none of ajwain’s thymol character.
• Lovage seed. Ajwain is sometimes mislabeled as lovage seed.¹ If a recipe or a shop calls for lovage seed, check whether it really means ajwain.

What isn’t known

• Labels rarely list thyme’s chemotype, so the only way to know how close a given jar comes to ajwain is to taste it.

Related

• Carom seeds
• Thyme, thyme substitutes and oregano vs. thyme
• Mexican oregano and Mexican oregano vs. oregano
• Oregano, marjoram and marjoram vs. oregano
• Cumin and tarragon
• Dried herbs vs. fresh