Cumin Seeds Whole - by Food To Live

Cumin spice should be welcome in any kitchen. Both the aroma and flavor of the seeds are amazing and can enhance many dishes. This spice is an absolute must-have in Indian cuisine and a staple ingredient in adobo and curry blends. You can use ground and whole cumin seeds to make any dish more flavorful in different ways.

Herbalists and cooks have used seeds of the cumin plant (Jeera, Comino) for hundreds of years. Today, cumin is, by right, one of the most popular spices in the world. Its taste and aroma are warm and earthy, with a bit of tang and a lightly-musky scent. All in all, cumin seeds can complement a wide range of soups, salads, stews, and other savory dishes. They also help infuse your bread and buns with a truly incredible flavor.


How to Cook with Ground and Whole Cumin Seeds

If you buy cumin seeds bulk, you should buy them whole. Separate them into several portions and store the ones you don't use immediately in the freezer. They will stay fresh and full of aroma for months this way.

Raw cumin seeds you do use in daily cooking should remain in an airtight container away from light and heat. When cooking, add whole seeds to the cooking oil at the very beginning. This way, the oil will be infused with their flavor, which will then go into the food you cook in it.

You can also toast whole cumin seeds in a dry pan or skillet for a few minutes. This gentle roasting will let the full potency of the flavor out. Then, ground the seeds using mortar and pestle or a specialized spice grinder.

Add whole cumin seeds to dishes such as soups and stews at the beginning of the cooking process. Ground cumin spice should be added at the end, so the taste is most potent right before you eat.