Carmantyuc or Kndzmdzuk: Does anybody know what this is???

11 years ago

Catherine, a new reader of The Armenian Kitchen wrote asking
for a common name of a specialty herb
she came across.

Here’s her request:

“While searching for Armenian Herbed Flatbread information I
found your site and also a reference to a “specialty” herb used. Can you give me the English or Latin name of
this herb. The special herb is called
either [sic] carmantyuc or kndzmdzuk.”

So, I did some hunting, came up empty-handed, and suggested
to Catherine that I’d put this request on the website.

Catherine thought
that was a great idea, and added:

“I am always interested in new-to-me culinary herbs and
spices. I live in the Phoenix, AZ area
and because of that I can grow just about any herb or spice (with rare
exceptions) here. Regarding the herb in
question, it may be a regional variety of a common family, like oregano, thyme
or mint, so a ‘hint’ may help find it :-)”

There you have it, folks.

If anyone reading this knows an English or Latin name for carmantyuc
or kndzmdzuk, please leave a comment, or email robyn@thearmeniankitchen.com.

Once we have an answer, I’ll post it for all to see. Thanks a bunch!

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View Comments

Marash Girl says:

January 13, 2013 at 12:40 pm

Sounds like sev gundug (black seed).
Marash Girl says:

January 13, 2013 at 11:42 pm

Asked my Armenian pal who was born in Istanbul, and all she could find was this site . http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/02/zhengyalov-hats/
- Robyn says:
  
  January 14, 2013 at 3:21 pm
  
  I just found a recipe for Djingialov Hats in the AGBU cookbook, Flavors with History... Armenian Cuisine. Although the recipe name is spelled differently from the one mentioned in the above comment, this one lists specific herbs used in the preparation: sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, mint, cilantro, parsley, chives, etc. So far, that's all I've discovered.
Marash Girl says:

January 14, 2013 at 11:53 am

And so it's come full circle -- my Armenian pal's cousin wrote the following: If they're foraging for herbs like chickweed, mint, etc. then go find out native herbs in Karabagh region and you'll get a good idea what's edible, abundant there.
Could be thyme since it grows wild abundantly many places. Maybe sorrell.
These people are looking for it as well, probably from the same website source:
http://thearmeniankitchen.com/2013/01/carmantyuc-or-kndzmdzuk-does-anybody.html
- Robyn says:
  
  January 14, 2013 at 1:25 pm
  
  Dear MG,
  Thank you so much for taking the time to help figure this out. Your participation is truly appreciated!
Anonymous says:

January 15, 2013 at 7:53 pm

karamdzuk/kndzmndzuk are sold in russia as wild cilantro or wild coriander.
hope that helps.
Ara says:

January 15, 2013 at 10:02 pm

After looking through a bunch of Armenian dictionaries, including the superlative online Nayiri, it appears that this herb (Armenian spelling կարմանտյուկ or կնդձմնձուկ) is some kind of herb native to Karabagh. Even in pages where the Latin names of the other herbs is denoted, this herb is only listed by its Armenian name.

Considering the large number of other herbs used in the preparation of Jenkyalov Hats, I think you can pretty much use anything that is in the right herb family.

For the record, the recipes list: green onion, spring (green) garlic, cilantro, karamtyuk/kndzmnzuk, cerastium, trtntjuk (pickles?), mint, and urtica. I assume also salt/pepper. Some commentators have also suggested sumac.

Frankly, if you can find even half of these herbs, you're doing pretty well.
Marash Girl says:

January 16, 2013 at 11:14 am

Sev gundug should be on the list! It's in those Armenian breads I used to have as a kid, both flat breads and choeregs! I think it's called black seed in English.
Anonymous says:

January 16, 2013 at 4:08 pm

I BELIEVE THE GUNDIG IS NIGELLA.
Anonymous says:

January 17, 2013 at 4:32 am

Sev Gundug is also known as Corek otu (in turkish), and they are nigella seeds in english
Ara says:

January 18, 2013 at 6:27 pm

I know the "sev gndig" as "black caraway". According to Wikipedia, that is a common name for nigella. But I have eaten "jenkyalov hats" and I don't remember it having any sev gndig. And in the videos that I have seen, the stuffing does not have any seeds; just herbs.
Anonymous says:

January 19, 2013 at 5:51 am

Isn't nigella seed(sev gundig) also known as onion seed?
- Catherine, The Herb Lady says:
  
  January 22, 2013 at 9:33 pm
  
  Nigella Seed is also known as Black Sesame in the US (I've grown it :-)