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| Cumin (flowering plants) |
Cumin is one of the most typical spices for India, especially the Southern part. The fruits are used as a whole, and are fried (frequently together with onion) or dry-roasted before usage. Legumes, especially lentils, are normally flavoured by cumin fried in butter fat (see ajwain on perfumed butter tadka). Furthermore, the seeds form an important part of curry powder (see curry leaves) and of the Bengali spice mixture panch phoron (see nigella). Lastly, cumin is essential for the preparation of Northern Indian tandoori dishes ([तंदूरी]) see mango). The fragrance of roasted cumin, typically in combination with coriander, is the most characteristic impression from South Indian or Sri Lankan cuisine!
Another important Indian spice mixture containing cumin is garam masala [गरम मसाला, گرم مسالحہ or گرم مصالحہ] which means “hot mixture”; by “hot”, a heating action on the body is indicated. Garam masala may contain nearly ever Indian spice, but normally, roasted cumin, roasted coriander, black pepper and Indian bay leaves should provide the basic taste and smaller amounts of sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds and nutmeg) should give a fine, aromatic flavour. All components are ground together. In the Imperial Northern Indian cuisine (also called Moghul or Muglai), the mixture (then called muglai garam masala) is prepared predominantly of sweet-aromatic spices. This spice mixture is sometimes used for cooking, but more frequently sprinkled over the dishes before serving.
In South India, an extremely popular spice mixture called sambar podi [சாம்பார் பொடி] (sambaar powder) is prepared to flavour the thin lentil curries (saambaar [சாம்பார்]) traditionally served with pancake-like bread made from rice flour (dosai [தோசை]), or with iddli [இட்டலி], steamed dumplings of fermented rice and bean dough. Base component of sambaar podi are lentils or tiny beans (urad dal [उरद दाल]), which are dry-roasted or toasted until they lose their raw flavour. They are mixed with other roasted spices (mostly cumin, coriander and fenugreek) and black pepper; optional ingredients are roasted mustard seeds, dried and possibly roasted chiles and asafetida. The powder is simply added, together with fresh curry leaves, to boiling lentil or vegetable curries.
The usage of toasted legumes is typical for South Indian cuisine. For another example of a Southern Indian spice mixture, see coconut. Similar spice mixtures are also much in use among the descendants of South Indian immigrants in Malaysia or Singapore.
Black cumin is the fruit of a related plant that grows wild in Iran and the Northern Indian region Kashmir. It is sometimes preferred to ordinary (white) cumin for Northern Indian meat kormas.
About cumin-containing lassi (yoghurt drinks), see rose.
Cumin is also very popular in Western to Central Asia; spice mixtures from this region featuring cumin are Yemeni zhoug (see coriander) and Saudi-Arab baharat (see paprika). Lastly, cumin is also typical for the tagines (meat stews) of Arab-influenced Northern Africa.
In South Eastern and Eastern Asia, cumin is less valued but used occasionally; cumin is, though, very important for Burmese cooking (see onion on the topic or Burmese curries) and it does play a rôle in the cooking styles of Thailand (see coconut on the subject of Thai curries) and Indonesia.
In Central and South American cooking, cumin plays is an important spice (it
appears, e.g., in Mexican spice mixtures; see oregano and paprika).
