Cumin seeds

Cumin consists of the dried schizocarp fruit or seeds of Cuminum cyminum, an annual herbaceous plant in the family Apiaceae.

Across India it goes by many local names: Seeragam in Tamil, Jeelakarra in Telugu, Jeerige in Kannada, Jeerakam in Malayalam and Jeere in Bengali, while Hindi speakers call it jeera (जीरा).

Tempering cumin in hot fat extracts its essential oil cuminaldehyde, replacing raw bitterness with a rich, nutty, savory aroma. Toasting or dry-roasting the seeds deepens that aroma, bringing out smoky and nutty notes and a warm, earthy backbone.

Use whole cumin seeds right at the start of tadka: they are frequently sizzled in hot ghee or oil to infuse the fat and the dish. Whole seeds are the defining element in jeera rice, where they are fried in ghee before rice is added.

Grind cumin into a fine powder for spice mixes and gravies, and toss whole seeds into doughs for kachoris, mathris and parathas. Whole or roasted ground cumin also flavors cooling drinks like spiced buttermilk and jaljeera. Whole cumin is one of the five seeds in eastern India’s panch phoron.

Cumin is native to the Mediterranean basin through southwestern and southern Asia. Archaeological evidence shows it has been used since antiquity across those regions.

Cumin is a dense dietary source of non-heme iron and provides notable amounts of calcium, magnesium, and dietary fiber.