Spice
Cumin
Cumin is the dried seed of Cuminum cyminum, warm and earthy with a distinctive savoury aroma essential to Indian, Middle Eastern, North African, and Latin American cooking. Whole seeds bloom in oil; ground cumin delivers even seasoning. True cumin is distinct from nigella (kalonji) and from Bunium black cumin types sold as shahi jeera. Origin and toasting level strongly change sweetness and bitterness.
Also known as: Jeera, Zireh, Kimyon, Kammun, Comino
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History
Cumin was cultivated across the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, and the Indus region.
Cumin became foundational in Indian masala traditions across the subcontinent.
Iberian trade spread cumin to the Americas, where it entered Mexican and Tex-Mex cookery.
India, Iran, Turkey, and Syria became major commercial cumin exporters.