Cumin

Used in 14 recipes on RecipeWiki.

Ground cumin is the powdered seed of a plant in the parsley family, with an earthy, warm, slightly bitter flavour and a smell that many cooks recognise as the foundation of a curry or a taco. It blooms in hot fat: fried briefly with onions at the start of Chana Masala or Saag Paneer, or rubbed onto meat for Carnitas and Tacos al Pastor. It also seasons the tomato and pepper base of Shakshuka. A few seconds too long in a dry, hot pan scorches it bitter, so add a splash of liquid if it darkens fast. Buy small jars; ground cumin fades within months.

What else can I make with it?

Most often cooked with

Recipes with cumin

Birria de Res — shot from directly overhead: beef braised in a deep red chilli broth until it shreds

Birria de Res

Beef braised in a deep red chilli broth until it shreds, served as a stew or folded into tacos dipped in its own fat.

BeefMexicanStews

Butter Chicken shot from directly overhead, a true flat lay

Butter Chicken

Tandoori-marinated chicken grilled hard, then finished in a sieved tomato and butter gravy emulsified off the heat so it stays satin rather than splitting.

5 hr 50 minServes 4

ChickenCurriesDinner

Carnitas — shot from directly overhead: pork shoulder simmered in its own fat until it falls apart

Carnitas

Pork shoulder simmered in its own fat until it falls apart, then crisped in the same pan so half of it shatters.

3 hr 45 minServes 8

Chana Masala — shot from directly overhead: chickpeas simmered in a dark

Chana Masala

Chickpeas simmered in a dark, sour tomato and onion masala, finished with amchur so the sourness sits behind the spice rather than on top of it.

CurriesIndianLunch

Chicken Korma shot from directly overhead, a true flat lay

Chicken Korma

Bone-in chicken braised slowly in yogurt over deeply fried onions and cashew cream, pale and savoury rather than sweet, with no tomato and no sugar.

1 hr 55 minServes 4

ChickenCurriesDinner

Chicken Tikka Masala — shot from directly overhead: yogurt-marinated chicken charred hard under a grill

Chicken Tikka Masala

Yogurt-marinated chicken charred hard under a grill, then finished in a spiced tomato and cream sauce that only works if the char goes in with it.

ChickenCurriesDinner

Goan Fish Curry — shot from directly overhead: white fish poached in a coconut and tamarind sauce ground from whole spices

Goan Fish Curry

White fish poached in a coconut and tamarind sauce ground from whole spices, sour and hot in equal measure and cooked in under half an hour.

30 minutesCurriesDinner

Malai Kofta — shot from directly overhead: potato and paneer dumplings fried until crisp

Malai Kofta

Potato and paneer dumplings fried until crisp, sitting in a mild cashew and tomato sauce enriched with cream.

1 hr 20 minServes 4

CurriesIndianPotatoes

Mujaddara — shot from directly overhead: lentils and rice cooked in one pot under a mound of onions fried well past golden

Mujaddara

Lentils and rice cooked in one pot under a mound of onions fried well past golden, which is where the whole flavour comes from.

1 hr 25 minServes 4

LebaneseMain coursesVegetarian

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini — shot from directly overhead: cauliflower roasted hot in wedges so the cut faces brown

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini

Cauliflower roasted hot in wedges so the cut faces brown, served under a tahini sauce loosened to a pouring cream with water.

LebaneseSide dishesVegan

by zestykestrel

Saag Paneer — shot from directly overhead: spinach cooked down to a dark

Saag Paneer

Spinach cooked down to a dark, silky base with ginger and green chilli, with cubes of fried paneer folded through at the end.

30 minutesCheeseCurries

Shakshuka — shot from directly overhead: eggs poached directly in a spiced tomato and pepper stew

Shakshuka

Eggs poached directly in a spiced tomato and pepper stew, cooked and served in the one pan so the yolks stay hot to the table.

1 hr 5 minServes 4

BreakfastCheeseMiddle Eastern

Slow-Cooked Black Dal — shot from directly overhead: whole urad soaked overnight and simmered for hours until it turns black and glossy

Slow-Cooked Black Dal

Whole urad soaked overnight and simmered for hours until it turns black and glossy, then finished with butter and a little cream.

15 hr 50 minServes 6

IndianMain coursesTomatoes

Tacos al Pastor — shot from directly overhead: chilli-and-pineapple marinated pork

Tacos al Pastor

Chilli-and-pineapple marinated pork, grilled hard and served in small tortillas with onion, coriander and more pineapple.

12 hr 55 minServes 6