Ajwain is small, oval-shaped, seed-like fruits are pale brown schizocarps, which resemble the seeds of other plants in the family Apiaceae such as caraway, cumin, and fennel. They have a bitter and pungent taste, with a flavour like anise and oregano. They smell almost exactly like thyme because they also contain thymol, but they are more aromatic and less subtle in taste, as well as being somewhat bitter and pungent. Even a small number of seeds tends to dominate the flavour of a dish

Ajwain (Carom Seeds) are rarely eaten raw; they are commonly dry-roasted or fried in ghee (clarified butter). This allows the spice to develop a more subtle and complex aroma. It is widely used in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, often as part of a chaunk (also called a tarka), a combination of spices - sometimes with a little chopped garlic or onion - fried in oil or clarified butter, which is used to flavour a dish at the end of cooking. In Afghanistan, Ajwain are sprinkled over bread and biscuits.

They are often sold as whole seeds but can also be ground into a powder and used as a cooking spice.

Carom seeds are incredibly nutritious, being rich in fiber, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals. Because of this, they have been associated with health benefits and long been used in traditional Indian medicine practices.