Description & Distribution 
Indigenous to Western Asia, caraway is now cultivated throughout the northern and central Europe, Morocco and parts of USA. The main commercial source of this spice is the Netherlands. India produces small quantities of caraway.

Caraway is the dried fruit of a biennial, herbaceous plant that produce clusters of white flowers. The leaves are finely divided. Fruits become ripe within two months after the flowering.The crop is harvested while the fruits are still green.The plants are dried, threshed, and the seeds dried again.Dried caraway is dark brown in color and usually consists of separate carpels of about 0.5 cm long. It is more or less banana like in shape, horny, ridged and tapering towards the ends. Caraway seed is warm, sweet and slightly sharp in taste and flavor. 

This spice thrives in temperate climate and prefers moderately light clay soil that is well tilled and rich in humus.

In India it is produced in the north Himalayan regions, Kashmir and Kumaon hills.

Harvest Season : March to April
Marketing Season : May to June.

Uses
This spice finds wide use in foods, medicines and toiletries. In India, caraway forms a part of North Indian dishes of meat and poultry. It is also used in appetisers, besides bakery products. Western cuisine uses caraway in cheese dips, seafood, soups, salads, pastries, biscuits and breads.

It forms the main ingredient of a Scandinavian liquor. It is also used in mouth washes, tooth pastes and chewing gums.