What is Cumin, And How Can You Use This “Magic” Spice in Your Kitchen

If you've ever eaten at an Indian restaurant, you'll be familiar with cumin, a prized spice used in a variety of cuisines, from Indian to Mexican and African.

Originally from the Middle East and Central Asia, the spice is a flavoring that has been used since ancient times, but also a precious ally for your body, which can draw many benefits from the properties of cumin.

Cumin: Characteristics of a Spice You Need to Always Have in Your Kitchen

Cumin, known by its scientific name Cuminum Cyminum, is a herbaceous plant whose original homeland is believed to be Syria. From there it spread rapidly throughout the Middle East and Asia, but also in the Mediterranean basin. According to some findings, cumin is already mentioned in an ancient Indian herbal from the 5th century BC and many testimonies tell how it was also widespread in Greek and Roman times, and especially during the medieval period.

Cumin is available for sale in seeds or powder form, although the latter is much more common as it is easier to use in cooking. The purpose of this spice, in fact, is to flavor dishes: it has an intense aroma and a sweet flavor similar to fennel seeds, but it should be used sparingly because an excessive quantity could transform the dish into bitter or spicy.

In addition to the most common classic cumin, there are also a number of other types: among the best known are Carum Carvi, which has smaller, darker seeds and a less aromatic flavor and which is also used to prepare Maghreb harissa, and Bunium Persicum, also known as black cumin, with longer, curved seeds.

Benefits of Cumin, the Spice Considered Magical

In the past, cumin was considered a magical plant with symbolic properties, a custom that is not surprising when you consider how many benefits this spice can actually bring to the human body.

The main power of cumin is to promote the elimination of intestinal gas and to relieve the discomforts related to colic. Furthermore, it is a real panacea for the digestive process thanks to two of its active ingredients, thymol and cuminaldehyde, which is why it is often used as an ingredient in purifying or digestive herbal teas.

Among the many benefits of cumin, the presence of large quantities of B vitamins and mineral salts, as well as many antioxidants, also stands out.

How is It Used in Cooking? Here Are The Dishes to Enrich With Cumin

The very first rule to know to best use cumin in the kitchen is to lightly toast the spice in a non-stick pan before using it. Just 2 minutes on low heat stirring with a wooden spoon, and in this way it will lose moisture making its characteristics more intense. Once you have done this first step, cumin will become your best friend in the kitchen.

First of all, you can use it to prepare many sauces, from the famous guacamole to the exquisite curry, but also more complete dishes such as the full-bodied chili and the inviting goulash, very easy to prepare following our recipe.

Cumin is also excellent when used as a real ingredient in bread dough, pizza and baked goods. It is an excellent flavoring that can be added to meat, soups and broths, especially those based on legumes, but also to many vegetables, including tomatoes, zucchini and eggplants.

Cumin Water: How to Prepare It

A widely used drink in India is cumin water, thanks to its benefits: it aids digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes, helps strengthen the immune system, helps regulate blood pressure. There are two methods to prepare it: cold and hot. For the first, just put two tablespoons of cumin seeds in a glass of water and leave it to rest for a whole night: in the morning it should have become a light brown color. Filter the cumin water and drink it. Alternatively, you can prepare a herbal tea by boiling 3 tablespoons of seeds in 1/2 liter of water, then letting it rest for 2-3 minutes and filtering it: you can drink it with a sweetener or with lemon, according to your tastes.