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Full of flavour
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Cumin scores high on the popularity chart of spices. Here is a simple recipe
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Rich in iron Cumin
Cumin is the dried fruit of a small herbaceous plant and was popular even during the Biblical times as an efficient digestive food flavour for ceremonial feasting. From Latin America to North Africa and all over Asia, cumin is the most popular spice
used. Throughout history, cumin has played an important role as a food and medicine. Cumin’s popularity was partly due to the fact that its peppery flavour made it a viable replacement for black pepper, which was expensive and hard to come by.
Culinary uses
The flavour of cumin plays a major role in Cuban, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, Afghan and Indian cuisines.
Cumin is a critical ingredient in chilli powder.
Cumin seeds and cumin powder should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place. Ground cumin will stay for about six months, while the whole seeds will stay fresh for about one year.
To bring out the fullness of their aroma and flavour, lightly roast whole cumin seeds before using them in a recipe.
Jeera rice
Ingredients
Basmati rice: 1 cup
Jeera (cumin seeds): 2 tsp
Cashew nuts: 2 tbsp
Whole peppercorns: 3
Bay leafs: 2
Cloves: 3
Cinnamon sticks: 2
Onions, sliced: 1
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method: Wash the rice and soak it in water for half an hour. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan, add cashew nuts. Fry until brown. Take them out and keep aside.
Add onions, bay leafs, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, peppercorns to the same ghee and fry for a while.
Add the rice, salt, water and stir. Cover with a lid and simmer. Cook until the rice is done.
Serve jeera rice hot after adding the fried cashews to it with any spicy curry or raita.
RISHI MANUCHA
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