(also known as Carom, Ajowan,
Bishop's Weed and Seeds Of Bishop's Weed) is  a common spice
used in Indidia and other areas in Asia.

Ajwain is often confused with lovage seed; even
some dictionaries mistakenly state that ajwain comes from the lovage plant.

Flavour

Raw ajwain smells almost exactly like 
thyme because it also contains  thymol, but is more aromatic and less
subtle in taste, as well as slightly bitter and pungent. Even a small amount of
raw ajwain will completely dominate the flavor of a dish.

In   Indian cuisine ajwain is usually
used by dry roasting it first on a pan, this greatly enhances its flavour.

It is used in India and Africa, and one of the
most common uses is with lentils. Iit can reduce the gassy effect of beans when
Ajwain is added. One suggestion is to use it along with cumin, whenever cumin is
called for.

While cooking the fried dishes like Pakora,
samosa and bread pakora , Ajwain is always added in the batter , this helps to
digest them properly.

Traditional Medicine

Stomach upset and Gas - Take some Ajwain, a
pinch of salt and add some lime or lemon juice, let the lime juice get
completely absorbed inside the Ajwain, once it feels dry store it in a glass
bottle, take a pinch of this Ajwain and chew it, it is an excellent digestive
aid while suffering from inflatuence ( gas).