CUMIN POWDER 200G
Cumin is an ancient spice grown in Egypt and the Middle East. It has been found in 4,000-year-old excavations in Syria and in ancient Egypt, where it was used both as a spice and as an element in preserving mummies. It appears in the Bible in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Since ancient times, cumin has been used extensively in India as well as by the Greeks and Romans. It made its way into Mexican and South American cuisine after European colonization, brought by the Spanish and Portuguese.
Whole vs. Ground
Cumin is available as both whole seeds and ground powder and both are used in recipes. Whole cumin, for example, is featured in Indian dishes, where the whole seeds are added to hot oil at the start of the dish so the flavor infuses the oil and therefore the rest of the ingredients. More flavor is brought out when the seed is lightly roasted, which is done easily using a dry pan over medium heat.
Ground cumin is made by grinding dry roasted cumin seeds. It can be added at any time to a recipe as its flavor doesn't need heat or time to be released, as is the case with the seeds.
More intense and nuanced flavor can be enjoyed by lightly roasting whole cumin seeds and then grinding the seeds in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. You might want to take that into consideration when using measurements for a recipe and are grinding cumin from freshly roasted seed. Once ground, cumin will gradually lose its flavor over time and should be replaced regularly.
What Does It Taste Like?
Cumin has a warm, earthy flavor and aroma with a bit of both sweetness and bitterness. The whole seeds need to be toasted in order to reach the optimum flavor.
Cooking With Cumin
Depending on whether the recipe calls for cumin seed or ground cumin, you will use it differently in recipes. Whole cumin seeds should be included early in the recipe so the spice has time to release its essence; adding them to a hot broth or oil will allow the aroma and flavors to disperse into the dish. Ground cumin is a quintessential spice in a few different blends, including curry powder. It is also used as part of a rub, in a marinade, and as a seasoning for hearty dishes.
If switching from whole seeds to ground (or vice versa), you will need to add different amounts. Because the flavor of ground cumin is more concentrated than whole cumin seeds, you will need less in a dish. For a recipe that calls for 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, use 1 1/4 tablespoons of cumin seeds.
