Cumin
The herb we know of as cumin is an annual, related to parsley.Cumin is the seed of the herb cuminum cyminum , of the family apiaceae , native from Egypt and Syria, and parts of India. Cumin plants do well in very warm climates, being capable to withstand very low amounts of rain.
The cumin plant grows from one foot to two foot in height. Cumin has flowers that are white or pink. The fruit contains a single seed. Cumin seeds closely resemble caraway seeds and have somewhat, of a bitter taste.
Cumin has been used for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible. Some other names for cumin are al kammun, cummin, duru, jeera, jeerakam, jira, kemun, maduru, suduru, zeera, zireh and ziran. Cumin contains oil that was used for traditional medicinal purposes.
Cumin is mostly grown in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, India, and some countries in central and south America.Cumin is considered one of the top, most popular or most used herb or spices.
Cumin can be used whole or ground up. Cumin seeds, or powder has a unique aroma, and is popular in Indian, Pakistani, North African, Middle Eastern, and Chinese cuisines.It is also used in cheeses, breads, soups, stews, chillies, Brazilian dishes, Sri Lanka dishes and is used a lot in various curries.
In the Orient, cumin is used to cook with meat, usually. Cumin is ideal for using in appetizers because of its ability to stimulate an appetite.