Cumin seeds

Country of Origin – Turkey.  Turkish cumin is considered to be higher quality than cumin mass produced in India

Flavour/Aroma – Gently aromatic, slightly sweet with clean citrus notes. Fresh pine notes can also be present.

Chilli heat – None but cloves provides a gentle warming

Ingredients – 100% whole cumin seeds

Uses in Mexican cooking – It is widely used in soups and stews, bread, cakes and desserts.  Mexican cooks tend to use it in moderate amounts due to its strong flavours, however TexMex cooks have no such qualms and it is liberally used in the famous chilli con carne.

Uses in Fiesta Manana recipe kits

Adobo pork carnitas spice kit

Cauliflower steaks Tequila spice kit

Slow cooker Pulled Pork spice kit

Veg enchiladas spice kit

Slow cooked chilli beef spice kit

Source

The seeds derive from a small annual plant Cuminum cyminum that was originally native to Southwest Asia.  It should not be confused with Black Cumin this is from a different species Cuminum nigrum and as a result the two are not interchangeable in recipes.

History

The spice has been consumed for thousands of years, it was particularly valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans who kept it in a box on the table.  They would sprinkle it generously over meals in the same way that we might use pepper today. It was valued for not only its flavour but also it was believed to prevent illness.  Its use undoubtedly spread across Europe as a result of Roman conquest. After the fall of the Roman empire it gradually fell out of use in most of Europe, however it remained popular in Spain.  Without a doubt the Spanish Conquistadors brought it with them during the conquest against the Aztecs.  Consequently this distinct flavour it was passed in Mexican cookery.

Health and nutrition

Essential oils – The most important essential oil is cuminaldehyde, it is this that produces its distinctive aroma

Health benefits – Cumin has been scientifically observed to provide the following benefits

1 – It is an aid to digestion.  It is likely that it triggers the release of digestive enzymes that speed up digestion.  Specifically it increases the release of bile from the liver and this helps with the digestion of fats and nutrients – as a result the body gets more nutritional value from food. [source] It is being used in experimental treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

2 – It is a useful source of iron in our diets, for example one teaspoon of ground cumin could provide 20% of your RDA

3 – It has been linked to reductions in blood cholesterol and consequently in weight loss in scientific studies [source]

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