The pungent flavor of Organic Ground Cumin is earthy and nutty with warming aromas and just a touch of an herbal lemon essence to finish. Our Organic Ground Cumin provides a distinctive flavor that has been part of the spice trade for thousands of years. A close relative of fragrant fennel and caraway, cumin is native to the Mediterranean region and northern Africa. It was used by the ancient Egyptians as a seasoning, as medicine, and in the mummification process, and has been referenced in the world’s oldest “cookbook”, the Yale culinary tablets, a collection of recipes on clay tablets that were written in Mesopotamia in roughly 1700 BCE.

Cumin has seen its reach grow across Asia and India, through the Caribbean, and down into Latin America. It is spicy, but not like the heat found in chile peppers. Its spice is more a perception of its intensity thanks to the high volatile oil content in the seeds. The volatile oils in cumin will dissipate quickly after the seeds are ground, so we grind cumin in smaller batches, several times a week. We also grind our cumin to a slightly coarse grind; the coarseness offers the volatile oils more of a seed to adhere to which slows the dissipation of the oils. This helps us provide our customers with the freshest spice possible.

Tips From Our Kitchen

In the cuisines of Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, cumin is a signature spice. Have a tagine on a bed of spiced couscous. Make enchiladas that have a deep, earthy flavor. The slow-cooked Cuban stew ropa vieja begins with cumin and other seasonings stirred into a rich base made from vegetables and the fond from browned beef. It is a key ingredient in various spice blends and many bean, couscous, curries, rice and vegetable dishes.

We do recommend that you use cumin sparingly at first, until you know how much you like, as its flavor is potent.

Our Organic Ground Cumin is cultivated in India.

This product is certified kosher.

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Cumin: The Spice That Warms Global Diners