Chinese medicinal herb Carum carvi can be harvested and dried for use as a spice. It can be used to stew meat to enhance flavor and remove odors. Consuming Carum carvi can help improve digestion and increase appetite, making it a suitable ingredient for dishes when people have poor appetite.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Carum carvi can regulate qi, invigorate the stomach, and stop vomiting. It is commonly used to treat bloating, abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Carum carvi is a herbaceous plant that grows up to 2-3 meters tall. Its leaves are lanceolate, about 30-60 cm long and 5-10 cm wide, with a gradually pointed tip and a small curl at the end. The leaves have a length of 0.5-1.0 cm and are covered with fine hairs.
The inflorescence is a terminal panicle, pendulous, and can reach up to 30 cm in length. The bracts are white with pink tips and bases. The calyx is white with pink tips, and the corolla tube is shorter than the calyx, with long oval-shaped lobes.
The corolla tube is about 3 cm long, milky white with pink tips. The lip is spoon-shaped and broadly ovoid, about 2 cm in diameter, sparsely covered with coarse hairs and prominent stripes. The top is often crowned with persistent sepals, turning red when mature. The flowering period is from April to June, and the fruiting period is from July to October.
The fruits of Carum carvi are harvested when ripe and dried by sun or low-temperature drying. The mature fruit is an oval, oblong, or olive-shaped capsule, about 1.5-3 cm long and 1-2 cm in diameter. It is yellow-brown or reddish-brown, with slightly pointed protrusions at both ends. The skin is thick without thorns, with raised longitudinal ridges and dark brown cracks, exposing the seeds.
The seeds are irregularly polygonal in shape, gray-brown or brownish-brown, and do not form clusters. They have a white false seed coat. The stem is slender. It has a mild aroma and a slightly spicy taste.
1. For treating stomach cold and abdominal pain, take 20g of Carum carvi seeds and decoct in water for consumption.
2. For treating indigestion, take 20g of Carum carvi seeds and simmer with 250g of meat for consumption.
