Ajwain is the Indian name for carom seed, a small, ridged, thyme-scented seed used in cooking. Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaf, used as a finishing herb. Khakha powder is not a spice: it is a low-grade by-product of milling psyllium seed, sold mainly into animal feed.
The three names often appear in the same supplier price list, which is why they get mixed up. Here is what each one is and what to check before you buy.
What is ajwain, and what is it used for?
Ajwain seed looks like a small, pale-brown cumin seed with a strong, sharp smell. The smell comes from thymol, an aromatic compound. Ajwain uses are mainly culinary: it flavours breads, savoury snacks, lentil dishes and pickles, and it is an ingredient in some spice blends.
Quality is judged by seed size, colour, cleanliness, aroma and thymol content. Grades are described in the export grades of ajwain. Seed that is pale, shrivelled or full of dust usually has less aroma. Ask for a machine- or colour-sorted grade if your market is strict about cleanliness.
What is kasuri methi?
Kasuri methi is fenugreek leaf that has been dried and crushed or kept whole. It has a bitter-sweet, savoury aroma and is added at the end of cooking in curries, breads and sauces. The name comes from the Kasur region, but today the leaf is grown and dried in several Indian states, in more than one state.
Colour, aroma and stalk content decide the grade, and the markets that buy it are covered in what kasuri methi is and which markets buy it. Leaf that is dried too slowly browns and loses aroma, and leaf that is too dry crumbles to dust. Ask for moisture, a sieve analysis and microbiology results, and pack it in sealed liners.
What is khakha powder?
Khakha is the fine, mixed fraction left after a psyllium mill separates its good husk. It contains husk fines, bits of kernel and dust. It is far below husk in purity, and it is not a substitute for husk in food or supplements. Most of it is sold for animal feed. The full explanation is in what khakha powder is and who buys it.
Mills use the word differently, so ask exactly which stream you are being offered, and test it. Never buy khakha under a food-grade name, and confirm the animal-feed rules in your destination market.
How to avoid confusion when buying
Names in Indian trade vary by region and by trader, and a supplier may use a local term for an export product. Whenever you see an unfamiliar name, ask for the botanical name, a photograph, a sample and a written specification. Compare the sample with the spec on arrival, and keep a retained sample for later shipments.
These checks are part of telling a processor from a trader, which is covered in how to tell a trader from a manufacturer.
Next step
If you are sourcing any of these and are not sure what a supplier is offering, we can check samples and specifications on your behalf. Book a free sourcing review to talk it through.