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In Spain, it is used to flavour cured meat, particularly dried meat from the Andalusian mountains, something which reminds us of how the Arabs have used this plant for centuries. Spices are an ingredient which are commonly found in Mediterranean gastronomy but also in exotic cuisine. Its flavour gives dishes an exotic taste, as well as hints of colour which entice us to eat the food. 

Cumin belongs to the umbelliferous family, which is made up of 2500 species. They are plants with a shape similar to an inverted umbrella, such that all of the flower clusters join the stem at the same point. Due to its high oil content, it has a characteristically bitter flavour and a strong, sweet smell. It is a very old spice, in fact, it is mentioned in the Old Testament and as with many other spices, since ancient times it has been used to make foods more digestible and to give them greater nutritional value. 

Drying process 

Cumin seeds are usually sown at the beginning of spring. The plant grows in hot climates and needs four months to mature. Once this time has passed, the long seeds are collected when their usual brown or green colour starts to turn yellow. Then the stalks are cut and they are shaken so as to be able to extract the seeds. Then the seeds are dried, by wrapping them in paper and hanging them in well-ventilated places. 

The seeds are spicy, ribbed, almost black and oval-shaped with pointed ends. They are often used to season rye bread rolls but they can form part of both savoury and sweet dishes. They go well with rice, stewed vegetables, boiled with cabbage or cauliflower, sauerkraut, fish and game (roast or stewed lamb, pheasant...) 

It is important to bear in mind that cumin has an intense flavour and as a result it is sensible to use it in small amounts, otherwise it could ruin the recipe you are preparing. They are often used to flavour cured meats and in Spain it is customary to season chorizo sausage with cumin, garlic, oregano and pepper, whilst in countries such as Morocco, the smell of cumin is permanently in the streets, associated to the spit ovens used for kebabs. A technique to increase the flavour of cumin involves toasting the seeds on their own before adding them to the recipe. 

On its own or with other spices
The spice may be used either whole or ground, although once it is ground it tends to lose its aroma and flavour. Likewise, it may be used in different ways, on its own or with other spices, it is often used in sauces and stews mixed with cinnamon and saffron, for example. Just a small teaspoon of cumin is enough to give a delicious touch to some kebabs and it gives goat’s cheese an interesting flavour. 

Turkey, Iran, India and Pakistan, as well as the Middle and Near East are countries which produce cumin and some of them, such as India, are also big consumers of this spice, which is often used in dishes containing spices, such as curry. The Turks also put it in vegetable dishes and mince. Cumin is highly popular in North Africa and used to season couscous, kebabs, merguez sausages (the French transcription of the Arab word mirqaz), a kind of small, spicy sausage which is eaten in Tunisia and Algeria and is also one of the ingredients used in ras-el-hanout, a mixture of Moroccan spices which can contain over 20 different varieties, including dried flowers. 

Considered to be one of the most widely used spices in the world, (on the other side of the ocean, in the Texas area, it is used in many tex-mex recipes and along with saffron it is one of the most commonly used spices in Venezuelan cooking, cumin has various therapeutic uses, as well as its culinary properties. The seeds contain an essence with an active element, cuminal, which is said to have properties that stimulate the appetite. It is also considered to be a diuretic and is particularly suitable in cases of slow digestion.