Dangerous properties of cumin. Oriental flavors in your kitchen: cumin - the seasoning of kings

Zira first appeared in India. It is also called cumin or Roman caraway. Zira is an umbelliferous plant; its seeds are collected in umbels, like dill. Since dried cumin quickly falls to the ground, it is collected in an unripe state. The plant is grown in Iran, Latin America, Syria, etc.

There are several types of cumin that differ in taste and aroma characteristics. The most popular and best are: Persian and Kirman cumin. The seasoning has a sweet-spicy taste and a bright aroma with noticeable nutty notes. By the way, the smell increases if the grains are ground or fried.

In general, there are 2 main types of cumin: white and black. The first option is widespread in our country, as it has a more delicate taste and aroma.

How to select and store?

When buying cumin in a package, be sure to pay attention to its tightness. If you choose spices by weight, pay attention to the integrity of the seeds. The grains must be round, without halves and any damage or debris (see photo). The aroma of cumin should be pleasant and not too strong. Keep in mind that cumin grains become bitter when stored for a long time.

Useful properties

The benefits of cumin have been known for quite a long time. With regular use of the spice, the functioning of the digestive system improves and the process of cleansing the body of waste and toxins is activated. The spice also has a positive effect on the blood, which is important for people with anemia. Zira is an excellent prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system, as it resists the formation of blood clots, which significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks. It helps to cope with respiratory problems, for example, bronchitis, severe cough, etc. Jeera has a positive effect on the nervous system, which helps cope with insomnia, stress and fatigue.

Cumin has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system and improves brain activity. The spice helps in treatment and is an excellent prevention of eye diseases. Jeera is an excellent tonic that is also a good aphrodisiac. The spice contains a large number of micro- and macroelements, as well as vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the whole body.

Use in cosmetology

Essential oil is extracted from cumin and used for cosmetic purposes. It has antioxidant properties. Which helps to cope with various types of rashes. The oil perfectly cleanses the skin and removes congestion. Cumin essential oil is an excellent tonic. It has a whitening effect, so it helps remove freckles and age spots. Zira can also be used as a deodorant.

In addition, the essential oil has an excellent anti-cellulite effect. You can also use it for hair care as it fights dandruff and improves hair growth. Another useful property is that the oil improves the elasticity of the bust.

Benefits of cumin and treatment

Zira is a popular spice in folk medicine. Due to the presence of a laxative and diuretic effect, it helps to cope with various diseases. Weak decoctions of cumin can be given to children with colic, and they will also be useful for breastfeeding women to improve lactation. In addition, cumin is an excellent antiseptic that is used externally. With its help you can get rid of small tumors, rashes, pimples, etc. Jeera also has a healing effect and helps wounds and cuts heal faster. The spice also helps improve breathing; to do this, you need to rinse your mouth with the decoction every day.

A drink made from cumin improves kidney function. If you make a tea from the spice, it will help cope with nausea and vomiting, and also reduce bloating. Combining cumin with honey can improve memory.

Use in cooking

Zira is especially popular in Oriental and Asian cuisine. For cooking, both grains and crushed spices are used. Place cumin in dishes made from rice, beans, vegetables and meat. The spice helps improve and diversify the taste of marinades and sauces. Ground cumin is used in the preparation of confectionery, baking, and is also included in spicy mixtures.

Many people like to add spice when making homemade sausages, minced meat, boiled pork, etc. You can also add cumin to salads, meat and fish dishes.

Harm of cumin and contraindications

Jeera can be harmful to people with ulcers or gastritis with high acidity. Given its high calorie content, consuming it in large quantities is not recommended for obesity. There are people who have an individual intolerance to the product.

Today, cumin is a very popular seasoning in the Middle East and Asia. Back in ancient times, the Greeks and Romans used this spice in everyday cooking, as well as in folk medicine.

Jeera has many names: Indian cumin, zera, kammun, cumin, jeera. With the growing popularity of oriental cooking, this spice is found in the recipes of many national dishes. What cumin seasoning is, its application and features of its use in such areas of everyday life as cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine - all this is described in our article.

Botanical description

For biologists, cumin is a herbaceous annual or biennial plant with alternate, strongly dissected leaves. Its flowers are red or white, “wrapped” in wrappers and collected in double umbrellas. Like the most common dill, cumin belongs to the Umbelliferae family. But its seeds are more fragrant, larger and lighter. They have a pleasant velvety nutty aroma that intensifies after heating. If you leave small grains on the plant, they will fall off as they dry. Because of this, they are collected in an unripe state and only then are they finally dried. Externally, cumin seeds are similar to regular cumin, but they are completely different spices in taste and quality. This plant is grown in the Mediterranean countries, Latin America, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Syria, Iran, Egypt and Afghanistan.

Varieties of cumin

In botanical science, there are four varieties of it:

• Kirmanskaya;
• Nabatean;
• Syrian;
• Persian

Cumin (jeera) seasoning is used only in Persian and Kirman for culinary purposes. They are easy to distinguish from each other even without knowing their names: Kirman cumin (Cuminum nigrum) is black in color, with a bright and expressive spicy, slightly bitter aroma. Persian cumin (Cuminum cyminum) has yellowish seeds and a less pronounced aroma. The rarest type of black cumin grown in Tajikistan is called bunium.

What does she look like?

Jeera is a spice that is usually sold as packaged greyish-green, small, oblong seeds with pointed tips. All varieties of this seasoning are similar in smell and taste. The only exception is a rather rare type of mountain black cumin, cultivated in Afghanistan and India, which has a very delicate, slightly “smoky” aroma.

Culinary use

In modern oriental cooking, cumin is an almost irreplaceable and most frequently used seasoning. Combined with coriander, turmeric and a variety of other spices, it forms the basis for a variety of Indian concoctions such as garam masala and sambar podi and sauces.

Zira is used in the preparation of Armenian sujuk and Uzbek shurpa, Greek stifato and Israeli hummus, Canary sauces mojo picon and mojo verde. In Mexican cuisine, cumin is used in the preparation of a thick beef stew with chili peppers, beans and beans - "chili con carne", as well as in marinating meat for such a popular dish as "tacos". Zira (cumin) is rarely used in European cooking, as a rule, to flavor cheeses and bread. Knowing what cumin (seasoning) is, many cooks think about how to replace it in the process of preparing oriental dishes. We tried mixtures of coriander and chili pepper, and added cumin. However, cumin has such a unique and original taste that it is better not to replace it with anything.

Use in folk medicine

In addition to the fact that cumin is a seasoning, the beneficial properties of the plant allow it to be used as a remedy for various ailments and painful conditions:

Despite many positive properties, cumin and preparations based on it should not be used by people with diseases such as gastritis and ulcers of the duodenum and stomach.

Cumin for beauty of face and body

As already mentioned, cumin is a seasoning and mild remedy from the arsenal of traditional medicine. In addition, you can use the essential oil obtained from it to maintain beauty and health, as it has the following properties:

Cleanses and tones the skin;

Has an antioxidant effect;

Deodorizes and eliminates stagnation.

All this allows you to use cumin essential oil in home cosmetology as follows:

• for cleansing and whitening the skin of the face and décolleté;
• for daily care of inflamed or problematic skin with neurodermatitis and allergic inflammation;
• to combat cellulite;
• in the treatment of dandruff and to enhance hair growth.

Like other seasonings, cumin helps increase appetite, but it can also be used to combat excess weight. A small amount of cumin added to everyday meals will help cleanse the body of toxins, as well as improve digestion and speed up digestion.

Zira (cumin) - dried seeds of the herb Cuminum cyminum, of the parsley family. This is one of the most popular spices in Asia and is the seed of Indian cumin. It differs from our cumin in its smaller size and darker color. In addition, it has a sharper, stronger and more pleasant aroma.

In Latin America, Africa, the Mediterranean, Asian countries, especially in India, this is the Queen of Spices; almost no dish can do without it.

The small island of Comino in the Maltese archipelago (Mediterranean) is even named after cumin - it is covered with fields of the spice cumin.

Zira (cumin) is used to flavor bread and confectionery products, and dishes made from fermented milk products. It is an important component for pickling cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pickling mushrooms. Potato soups, fish, vegetable salads, fried, baked and stewed pork dishes flavored with cumin acquire an appetizing taste. Not a single Central Asian pilaf is complete without cumin.

There are several varieties of cumin:

• White cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is the most common, used in our country, and will be discussed further.
• Black cumin (kala jira) - Cuminum nigrum - is darker and finer than white, has a more bitter taste and pungent odor. It does not require as long roasting as white cumin seeds.
• The rarest type of black cumin, which is more correctly called bunium - Buniumpersicum, Buniumbadachshanicum, is found in Tajikistan.

Cumin is found in various spice blends: curries, chilies, garam masala, chutneys, Mexican blends, Yemeni zhoug, Saudi Arabian baharat...

When stored for a long time, cumin begins to taste bitter, especially when ground.

Calorie content of cumin

Jeera seeds are high in calories. 100 g of such seeds contain 375 kcal, so in large quantities they are contraindicated for obese people.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of cumin

Cumin seeds (jeera) contain from 2.5 to 4% essential oil, cumic aldehyde (p-isopropyl benzaldehyde, 25-35%), thymol, perilla aldehyde, cumic alcohol, alpha and beta pinine (21%), dipentene, p-cymene and beta-phellandrene.

Cumin oil is used in the perfume industry.

Zira (cumin) has also been used in medicine since ancient times. For example, the Greeks still prepare special tea that improves the well-being of children.

Cumin is a good tonic and an aphrodisiac.

The effect of cumin improves digestion (treatment of gastric and kidney diseases, flatulence, colic, diarrhea), stimulates appetite. Zira has a diuretic effect. Removes toxins from the body.

Zira is used in gynecology (increasing milk production in nursing mothers...) and neurology (helps fight amnesia, insomnia...).

The spice cumin is an antiseptic; externally helps to resolve tumors, various skin swellings (pimples, rashes...). Reduces pain.

Jeera is good for clearing the respiratory tract. Helps fight nausea, incl. in the first months of pregnant women.

Zira (alone or in combination with ground coriander, fennel or cardamom) is recommended to be used for diseases of the digestive system, to clear the respiratory tract in case of bronchitis and cough with mucus, as well as to calm the nervous system.

Jeera also promotes good kidney function. A thick cumin drink (2 tsp brewed in a glass of water) has a mild laxative and diuretic effect. The effectiveness of the infusion will be greater if you mix cumin, fennel and coriander in equal proportions.

Zira removes toxins and undigested food waste from the body. Medicinal tea from 1 tsp. cumin, fennel and coriander seeds, poured into 2 cups of boiling water, perfectly help digest food, give strength and lift your spirits.

Tea from cumin seeds (cumin) 1 tsp. per glass of water cures nausea, bloating and vomiting (especially in women in the first months of pregnancy).

Cumin is also consumed in powder form with an equal part of sugar (to increase milk flow in young nursing mothers). For these purposes, you can use a decoction of cumin seeds in water or milk and take it 3 times a day.

Applying cumin mixed with olive oil resolves spleen tumors.

Cumin heals wounds, for which it is placed directly into the core of the wound.

In pediatrics it is used to treat childhood flatulence.

Improves brain activity, helps strengthen and restore vision.

To improve memory, take 1 tsp. cumin mixed with 1 tbsp.

The original spice of cumin leaves no one indifferent. Moreover, two extremes appear - you can love it, adding it to almost all dishes, or categorically reject it. Such different opinions arise due to the unusual taste and pungent smell of the spice. But still, zira has many more fans. Proof of this is the fact that the once wild plant is now cultivated, but in the wild it is almost non-existent.

Zira loves warm climates, so it grows more often in Latin America, Syria, and Iran. Egypt and India argue on whose territory this plant appeared first, but gourmets believe that the main thing is that this spice exists, giving them true pleasure.

Several other names have been invented for cumin: cumin, cumin - Roman or Indian, since it actually tastes somewhat like cumin. The plant belongs to the genus Apiaceae; its seeds are collected in small umbrellas. It is necessary to collect the seeds unripe, since when dry they crumble to the ground too quickly.

Varieties

People use several types of cumin, which have some distinctive features:

1. Black look- smaller, has a tart, almost bitter taste and a pronounced odor. It takes much less time to fry it. There is a very rare species - bunium.
2. White look- with a delicate taste that combines sweetness and spiciness, and the aroma is reminiscent of nutty seasoning. It is most used in cooking.

Important! It should be borne in mind that long-term storage negatively affects the taste: an unpleasant bitterness appears, especially if the seeds were ground.

Use in cooking

In cooking, cumin is in great demand as a spice in the preparation of almost all dishes:

• first and second;
• from fish and meat;
• from vegetables;
• dessert and bakery;
• fermented milk;
• pickled, salted and pickled;
• subjected to heat treatment.

Zira is used together with other plants to create colorful seasonings that significantly enhance the taste of various dishes.

It combines harmoniously with hot pepper, coriander, barberry, basil, marjoram and many other aromatic herbs. Thanks to the large variety of combinations, you can endlessly experiment by adding a new mixture of spices. But this must be done carefully, as some herbs may not combine and spoil the taste of the dish.

Zira - all secrets revealed!

If you grind the seeds, you can perform this procedure depending on further use - finely or coarsely:

1. To make the spice large, you can place cumin seeds in a round-bottomed container and use a wooden masher. Make sure that the mixture is of uniform grain size.
2. Fine grinding is obtained when a special mill is used.

Often, ground cumin is used for dishes that have not undergone heat treatment, such as salads, snacks, and pates.

To properly fry cumin, enhancing the taste and aroma, certain conditions are met:

1. The fire on the stove should be very low; it is better to choose a frying pan with a large diameter. Keep on fire until a slight aroma begins to be felt.
2. If you want to process cumin in the oven, the spice should be wrapped in baking paper, and then always in foil. The oven must first be preheated to 300 - 325 degrees, no more. You should keep the cumin in the oven for a short time - up to 10-15 minutes.

1. When buying cumin, you need to check that the packaging is sealed and without damage.
2. If you purchase spices by weight, you should pay attention to the integrity of the grains, which should be round, without halves, and of the same shade.
3. The aroma should not be very pronounced, pleasant.

Storage

It is best to store this spice separately from others. And always - only in tightly closed, opaque containers. For example, made of dark glass, in porcelain or ceramic dishes.

Zira, once in the kitchen in the form of a spice, does not recognize sunlight, high humidity and excessive heat; it can also absorb foreign odors and fumes, which significantly impairs its taste.

Culinary experts advise not to pour cumin from a stored container into a pan with a boiling dish, as the spice immediately begins to intensively absorb moisture, and in this process its quality decreases.

What did nature give this spice?

But not only cooks use cumin to make their dishes much tastier and more appetizing. From a medical point of view, the spice brings great benefits to the body. And all because it contains those substances that support the body, stimulating many important processes. In the seeds, scientists discovered:

1. Essential oil. It creates concentrations in the urine that help provide an antibiotic effect if an infection has entered the urinary tract.
2. Cumicaldehyde. Used in the perfume industry
3. Thymol. Effective in the fight against helminthiasis as an antiseptic.
4. Alpha-, beta-pinene. Fragrant substances.
5. Zinc. Helps the normal functioning of lymphoid and connective tissues, protects joint tissues, and protects the liver from toxins.
6. Selenium. Strengthens the defense against infectious, colds and cancer, as it stimulates the formation of antibodies. Most of this element in men is located in the testicles - in the seminiferous tubules; active sexual life depends on their quantity.
7. Copper. Takes part in hematopoiesis and is a component of many enzymes.
8. Manganese. It has a positive effect on the heart artery and prevents pathologies of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
9. Iron. This substance is included in enzymes that carry out redox processes.
10. Phosphorus. The condition of bone tissue depends on its presence. Thanks to this element, cumin is classified as an aphrodisiac.
11. Sodium. Takes part in biochemical reactions and water metabolism.
12. Magnesium. Reduces blood pressure and helps metabolic reactions occur.
13. Calcium. Can enhance the activity of stomach and pancreatic enzymes.
14. Potassium. With its help, waste fluid is removed from the body, the correct alkaline balance of the blood occurs, and the heart rhythm is regulated. Also involved in processes that are responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses.
15. Dietary fiber. Reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

Vitamins

1. B1 - helps with carbohydrate metabolism, is involved in the production of hydrochloric acid and the formation of blood cells, enhances energy and helps a person concentrate.
2. B6 - is involved in many processes, primarily helping with the absorption of fats and proteins. Produces hydrochloric acid. Acts as an important component of the nervous system. It is very important for women because it reduces the negative symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
3. B12 - has a positive effect on the digestion process, participates in protein synthesis, forms cells and makes them resistant to the negative effects of the external environment, and prevents anemia.
4. C - significantly increases protective forces, restores tissue, ensures healthy gums, increases the rapid healing of wounds.
5. E - restores tissue and lowers blood pressure, prevents the occurrence of cataracts and vascular disease.
6. K - improves blood clotting, prevents small vessels from rupturing, enhances peristalsis of the stomach and intestines, supports the liver and heart.

The composition of such beneficial substances helps cumin to support the immune system, normalize digestion and be a preventive measure if diseases of the heart, circulatory and respiratory systems threaten.

1. Zira is used if intestinal spasms occur and you need to cleanse the body of toxins and waste.
2. Zira included in the diet greatly helps influence the composition of the blood, improving it, which is especially significant for those who suffer from anemia or thrombophlebitis.
3. Jeera cleanses the respiratory tract well, especially with a strong cough.
4. Cumin also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helping to recover from prolonged stress and anxiety.

Recipes

To enhance brain activity and improve memory, a drink prepared by taking:

• Cumin - 1 teaspoon.
• Honey - 1 tablespoon.

By drinking a weak decoction of cumin seeds, you can prevent some eye diseases. Decoctions help women during lactation, when large amounts of breast milk are needed. You will need cumin powder and the same amount of sugar, or a decoction made from seeds and water or milk, which should be divided into three doses per day.

In the first months of pregnancy, if toxicosis continues, this remedy can help: a teaspoon of seeds is brewed with boiling water - 200 g. This recipe will also be useful for those who often experience nausea and a gag reflex.

If you need to use cumin as a mild laxative or diuretic, prepare a rather rich drink - take less than a tablespoon of cumin per glass of boiling water. The remedy will be more effective if you add fennel or coriander to it. In this case, the decoction will give energy, lift your spirits and promote better digestion.

Zira as a magnificent cosmetologist and antiseptic

Cosmetologists also use cumin, or rather its essential oil. He has the following positive qualities:

• cleanses the skin, removing inflammatory processes and rashes;
• is an excellent tonic;
• has whitening properties, making freckles and age spots less noticeable;
• can serve as a deodorant;
• has an anti-cellulite effect;
• removes dandruff and strengthens hair;
• makes breasts more elastic.

Is cumin harmful?

Considering that cumin has medicinal properties, people suffering from inflammation of the gastric mucosa, gastric or duodenal ulcers should reduce its use in the diet. The acidity level may increase after consuming the product.

Zira has a high calorie content and can increase appetite, so people who are overweight should not include it in the menu.

Video: benefits and harms of cumin

Zira has gained well-deserved popularity among representatives of Asian peoples for its sharp but pleasant nutty smell and spicy taste with a slight bitterness. Now it is so in demand that it is considered the queen of oriental spices and is often used in cooking and cosmetology due to the qualities of its essential oil.

But Westerners rarely encounter this spice and know little about it. And this plant, in addition to its characteristic taste and smell, also has a number of useful properties that will have a beneficial effect on healing and help cope with problems of the skin and gastrointestinal tract. But it is worth remembering a number of contraindications, because the presence of advantages always comes with disadvantages, which are important to remember if you are interested in cumin.

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General characteristics

The cumin plant or cumin is one of the most popular spices in the East, which is the dried seeds of a plant of the Cumin genus of the Apiaceae family. It looks like caraway, more famous in Europe, with which cumin is often confused, but cumin seeds are larger in size and their color is lighter, and the aroma is strong and pungent.

The plant itself is low, with alternate leaves, the lower ones cut into small segments. The flowers are white or red, united in double umbels, like dill. When ripe, cumin fruits fall to the ground, so they are collected in a somewhat unripe state.

Today, cumin grows everywhere, but is most common in Iran, Afghanistan, which are considered the birthplace of this plant, Southeast Asia, North Africa and Latin America. In India, it is grown in the garden along with other common crops.

There are several varieties of cumin, which have slight differences in smell and taste, and also require different approaches when used:

• White cumin or Persian cumin is most famous and widespread in Europe. The seeds are aromatic, have a nut-like taste, with a slight bitterness, the aroma is bright and pungent. Long frying is required before eating.
• Black cumin or Kirman cumin differs from other types in having smaller and darker seeds. The taste is more bitter and the aroma is sharper than that of white cumin. Frying before use requires less time.
• Binum persica, the rarest type of cumin, is common in Tajikistan. In Russia, it is also included in the list of plants that contain potent, narcotic or toxic substances.

The popularity of cumin has even become the basis for the names of some geographical objects. The island of Comino in the Maltese archipelago is named after this spice. Almost its entire territory is one large cumin plantation.



Application

A number of properties characteristic of any spice have led to the use of this plant in various fields. The spicy aroma and taste are the reason for the use of cumin in cooking, especially oriental cooking.

And the composition, rich in minerals, became the basis for various decoctions and tinctures of cumin in the treatment of diseases in folk medicine. The essential oils contained in this spice are used in cosmetology and perfumery.



Useful properties and traditional medicine

The chemical composition of cumin determines the presence of various properties of this plant, which have a very beneficial effect on the human body. Zira seeds contain up to 4% essential oil, cumic and perilla aldehyde, thymol, cumic alcohol, dipentene, which makes this plant a tonic, antiseptic, cleansing and diuretic. Zira helps in the treatment of diseases of many body systems, and will also be an excellent means for prevention.

What does it affect?	What impact does it have?	How to use
Cardiovascular system	Cumin stabilizes the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, prevents the formation of cavities and blood clots	Take 2 teaspoons of cumin per 200 ml of water, keep in a water bath, leave for about an hour, filter. Take 100 ml three times a day
Gastrointestinal tract	Improves system function, accelerates digestion, stimulates appetite, helps remove waste, toxins, undigested pieces of food, helps cope with nausea, bloating, treats children's flatulence, has a safe laxative and choleretic effect	For digestion, medicinal tea is used, which is recommended to be consumed about 3-4 times a day. For it, take one teaspoon each of cumin, fennel, coriander and two cups of hot water.
Kidneys	Stabilizes kidney function	For prevention, drink thick tea made from 2 teaspoons of cumin seed powder and 200 ml of hot water. Leave for 10–15 minutes, drink a cup before meals
Spleen	Promotes resorption of spleen tumors	Apply a mixture of cumin and olive oil
Brain activity, vision	Stimulates brain activity, prevents vision loss	Mix 1 teaspoon of cumin and honey, take three times a day
Respiratory system	Helps remove mucus in cases of bronchitis or severe cough	Infuse 2 teaspoons of cumin into 200 ml of water in a water bath, cool, and filter. It is recommended to take a cup three times a day until complete recovery.
Nervous system	Has a calming effect	Standard tincture, take three times daily
Problems with memory, sleep	Helps in the treatment of amnesia and insomnia, becomes an effective remedy for calming newborns who cry at night for no apparent reason	Before going to bed, it is recommended to pour half a teaspoon of cumin with a glass of warm milk, add a spoonful of honey and drink
Inflammatory processes	Relieves inflammation, soothes pain in rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgic diseases	Prepare a paste from half a glass of cumin seeds, 200 g of olive oil and 100 g of anise oil. The paste is heated and sore spots are treated with it.
Skin diseases	Due to its disinfecting properties, it is used to remove acne, various rashes, and helps to resolve tumors.	Paste from previous case
Body of a nursing mother	Increases milk flow	There are two options for using cumin in this case: take it by mixing with sugar in equal quantities, or make a decoction in milk or water
Sexual function in men	Stimulates sexual activity	Tincture: 1 glass of ground cumin seeds, crushed ginger, half a glass of anise, pour a liter of alcohol and leave in an airtight container for 7 days. Take 25 ml three times a day

The antiseptic and healing properties of cumin have led to its frequent use in the past to heal large or infected wounds. At the same time, cumin fruits were used in a way very far from medicine. The seeds were cleaned and placed directly into the wound, which promoted quick and safe healing.



Cooking

Zira is extremely popular in Oriental and Asian cuisine; it is part of various sets of spices and is often used in the preparation of various Mexican dishes. Much less is known about it in European countries.

The main property of cumin, which determines its popularity as a spice, is a pungent, slightly nutty smell, which intensifies when ground or fried. Therefore, they use both whole, roasted cumin seeds and powdered spice.



Whole seeds are an indispensable addition to the aroma of the famous oriental pilaf, and the ground fruits are actively used by Turkic peoples as a seasoning for meat. In India, cumin is often added to vegetable dishes; it is part of the spicy mixture “garam masala”, and it is also included in the composition of the well-known mixture - curry. Cumin is an essential component of Mexican chili sauce.

In Kyrgyzstan, this spice is often seasoned with meat cooked with vegetables, added to roasts, various sauces and marinades. In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, zira has almost the greatest recognition: it is used in the preparation of soups, hot dishes and cold appetizers, used to add flavor to baked goods, and added to salads.