| Cumin Seeds |
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Cumin (Cuminum cyminum
L.) Cumin is a most popular spice all over the world, especially in Latin America, North Africa and all over Asia, but least so in Europe, although it had been a common spice in the times of the Roman Empire. Today, cumin usage in Europe is restricted to flavouring cheese in the Netherlands and in France. Cumin is one of the most typical spices for India, especially the Southern part. The fruits are used as a whole, and are fried (frequently together with onion) or dry-roasted before usage. Legumes, especially lentils, are normally flavoured by cumin fried in butter fat. Furthermore, the seeds form an important part of curry powder end of the Bengali spice mixture panch phoron). Lastly, cumin is essential for the preparation of Northern Indian tandoori dishes. The fragrance of roasted cumin, typically in combination with coriander, is the most characteristic impression from South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine. Black cumin is the fruit of a related plant that grows wild in Iran and the Northern Indian region Kashmir. It is sometimes preferred to ordinary (white) cumin for Northern Indian meat kormas. Cumin is also very popular in Western to Central Asia; spice mixtures from this region featuring cumin are Yemeni zhoug and Saudi-Arab baharat. Lastly, cumin is also typical for the tagines (meat stews) of Arab-influenced Northern Africa. In Central and South American cooking, cumin plays is an important spice, it appears, e.g., in Mexican spice mixtures. Used plant part Fruits (frequently called “seeds”). Plant family Apiaceae (parsley family). Sensoric quality Strongly aromatic; the aroma is characteristic and is modified by frying or dry roasting. Main constituents The fruits contain 2.5 to 4% essential oil. In the essential oil, cumin aldehyd (p-isopropyl-benzaldehyd, 25 to 35%), furthermore perilla aldehyd, cumin alcohol, a- and ß-pinene (21%), dipentene, p-cymene and ß-phellandrene were found. Origin Western Asia, where it is cultivated since Biblical times (see pomegranate). Main production countries today are Turkey, India, Iran, Indonesia, China and the South Mediterranean. |
