Cumin is another ancient spice. It is even mentioned
in the Old Testament. Ancient Greeks
used cumin as a table condiment like pepper or salt.
At German medieval
weddings the bride and groom had it in their pockets along with dill and salt
to ensure faithfulness
Cumin was used to combat
flatulence and was said to make you very pale in the face
Cumin seeds are quite
similar in appearance to caraway seeds. Very
aromatic and spicy rather than hot - but best used sparingly. A little goes a long way.
Good quality cumin seeds
should be khaki coloured rather than brown.
Dry roast the seeds
before grinding/using them – this will lessen the cumin's bitterness and will
intensify an earthy nutty and almost coffee like smell.
Cumin is an essential
ingredient in Indian curries.
Cumin is also found in North
African dishes like couscous, eggplant and in Indian curry mixes.
Mexican dishes – cumin is
used in combination with chilli
Cumin goes very well
with pumpkin.
Ideas - add some cumin to scrambled eggs for a
flavour burst
Try coating some lamb
with ground cumin and then cook them on the grill. Sprinkle a little onto yoghurt.
Add cumin to minced
beef.
My recipes with cumin: Yellow
curry of pork with vegetables, Thai
red curry paste, Meatloaf,
Low
FODMAP Butter Chicken, Slow
Cooker Beef Curry, Savoury
Pancakes
BIBLIOGRAPHY - with thanks to Auckland Libraries
Cook's Encyclopaedia of Spices by
Sallie Morris & Lesley Mackley
Discovering Vegetables, Herbs &
Spices by Susanna Lyle
Julie Biuso at Home
Spice Market by Jane Lawson
Spicery by Ian & Elizabeth Hemphill
Spices & Natural Flavourings by
Jennifer Mulherin
Spices by Sophie Grigson
Spices Condiments and Seasonings by
Kenneth T Farrell
Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the
English Kitchen by Elizabeth David
The Cook's Companion by Stephanie
Alexander
Cumin seeds?? Never knew that!! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love cooking with cumin I use it in a lot of dishes at home :)
ReplyDeleteI love cumin! Adding to scrambled eggs is a great idea, but does it mean seeds or ground cumin, I wonder?
ReplyDelete