Description
Cumin is the dried, white fruit with greyish brown colour of a small slender annual herb. The surface of the fruit has 5 primary ridges, alternatively has 4 less distinct secondary ridges bearing numerous short hairs. The plant is 15 to 50 cm high. The aromatic seed like fruit is elongated, ovoid, 3 to 6 mm long, slightly bitter and has a warm flavour. The flowers are white or rose coloured in small umbels.
Uses
Cumin seed have an aromatic odour and bitter taste. It is used as a condiment, and is an ingredient in curry powders, seasonings of breads, cakes and cheese. It is employed in native dishes of Central and South America. In medicine, it is used as a stimulant, carminative, stomachic and astringent. Cumin seed oil is used in perfumery and for flavouring liqueurs and cordials.
Indian Name of Spices
Bengali : Safaid jira or Zeera
Gujarati : Jiru or Jeeru
Kannada : Jeeriege
Kashmiri : Zyur
Malayalam : Jeerakam
Marathi : Jeregire
Sindhi : Zero
Sanskrit : Jiraka, Jira
Tamil : Ziragum or Jeeragam
Telugu : Jidakara, Jikaka
Foreign Name of Spices
French : Cumin
German : Romischer Kummel
Swedish : Spiskummin
Arabic : Kammun
Italian : Comino
Portuguese : Cominho
Russian : Kmin
Chinese : Machin