Cumin
Hindi Name: Jeera
Botanical name
Cuminum cyminum L
Family name
Apiaceae
Commercial part
Fruit
Cumin is the dried fruit of a small herbaceous plant and was popular
even during the Biblical times as an efficient digestive food flavor for
ceremonial feasting. From Latin America to North Africa and all over
Asia cumin is the most popular spice used. Not just today but history
also has experienced the flavor of cumin during the Roman Empire and in
the ancient India where cumin has its mention as the sugandhan "well-smelling".
Cumin is one of the most typical spices for India and is fried or
roasted before usage. Legumes, especially lentils are normally flavored
by cumin fried in butterfat. Cumin also forms an essential part of the
curry powder and of the Bengali spice mixture, panch phoron, besides
being used in Northern Indian tandoori dishes. In imperial North Indian
cuisine (Mughal or Mughlai) the mixture of cumin is prepared to relish
sweet and aromatic flavor. This spice mixture is sometimes used for
cooking, but more frequently sprinkled over the dishes before serving.
Cumin is a very popular spice in Western to Central Asia (Near and
Middle East); in central and South America along with Burma, India,
Indonesia. Indian cumin finds worldwide use in foods, beverages,
liquors, medicines, toiletries and perfumery and grows abundantly in the
mild, equable climate of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Rich,
well- drained, sandy, loamy soil and the sun are the basic requirements
of this spice for perfect and ample growth.
Indian cumin is exported in its natural as well as powdered form,
besides as essential oil to USA, Singapore, Japan, UK and North Africa.
| Name in International
Languages |
| Spanish: |
Comino |
| French: |
Cumin |
| German: |
Romischer
Kummel |
| Swedish: |
Spiskummin
|
| Arabic: |
Kammun |
| Dutch: |
Komijn |
| Italian: |
Comino |
| Portuguese: |
Cominho |
| Russian: |
Kmin |
| Chinese: |
Machin |
|
