Cumin Powder

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Cumin seeds belong to the parsley and dill family and resemble caraway seeds, though they are different in flavour from them. Oblong shaped, these pale or dark brownish seeds are a very popular spice in the world and are used as a spice for their distinctive aroma.It is an aromatic spice with bitter and warm flavor. This ancient spice is popular in Indian , Mexican, North African, Middle Eastern, and western Chinese cuisines. Cumin is one of the most typical spices for India and is fried or roasted before usage.

Usage

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Cumin can be used to season many dishes, either ground or as whole seeds, as it draws out their natural flavour. It is used as a whole, and are fried or toasted before use.
· Cumin is widely used to flavor stews, soups, meats and vegetables
· Cumin is widely used to prepare Jeera rice by roasting cumin seeds in butter, frying rice in it and cooking it with water .
· Dal is staple diet of Indian cuisine. Tempering or Tadka is given to Dal with cumin, giving it warm flavour.
· Many other legumes are normally tempered by cumin fried in butter to add more flavour to the dish.
· Cumin seeds are part of Bengali spice mixture panch phoron, made of nigella seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and cumin. This Bengali 5 spice mix is used to prepare dishes like Potato curry, Pan roasted potatoes, Salmon Kalia, spinach and many other.
· Cumin is used for tempering in almost all meat dishes, especially Northern Indian tandoori dishes.
· Cumin when toasted with coriander gives out distinctive aroma and is widely used In South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. Along with roasted and ground black pepper, cumin seeds are used in flavouring rasams.
· Indian cumin finds worldwide use in foods, beverages, liquors, medicines, toiletries and perfumery.
· Cumin is extensively used spice in fish dishes, grills and stews of Mughlai cuisine and also in couscous – semolina steamed over meat and vegetables, the national dish of Morocco.
· Cumin used in some Dutch cheeses like Leyden cheese, and in traditional breads from France.
· Cumin added with caraway flavours Kummel, the famous German liquer.
· Roasted cumin seeds powder is added to buttermilk to aid digestion and enhance flavour.