Cumin

About

Raw cumin seeds are dry, woody, musty and unpleasant to taste on their own, unlike anise or coriander seed. Cooking transforms them: roasting and crushing brings out nutty, lemony notes, while frying in oil produces a lively, piquant flavor, as in dishes like dhal.

Pairs well with cumin

• CiLemonLemon's characteristic citral compound is also used in cleaning products, while cumin is often compared to dirty socks, an…
• EaPotatoCumin and potato share a musty, earthy quality that might sound gloomy together, but works beautifully in the Indian dish jeera aloo:…
• SuEggCumin, warmer and earthier than caraway or celery seed, works well toasted, ground and mixed with salt as a seasoning for eggs, especially…
• BeMintCumin and dried mint together evoke Cairo-style street food, and are used to season lamb kebabs or burgers; they also pair well with fava…
• MaShellfishA cumin sauce for shellfish, combined with pepper, lovage, parsley, mint, honey, vinegar and broth, appears in Apicius, the oldest…
• MePorkJust as lamb suits herbal, grassy flavors reminiscent of its habitat, pork takes well to cumin's earthiness, rubbed onto tenderloin or…
• MeLambUighur migrant vendors in Chengdu, southwestern China, sell lamb kebabs seasoned with chili and cumin from street grills.
• CiLimeBoth assertive flavors work well together on barbecued meat, roasted corn or tomato salsa.
• WoCarrotA common Moroccan side dish pairs sliced carrots with a robust, cumin-spiced dressing.
• MaOily FishCumin's assertiveness makes it a good match for rich, oily tuna without being overwhelmed by it: a cumin-and-oil rub followed by a quick…
• SpPeppercornPiney black pepper and musty cumin recall old furniture, and both feature sparingly in perfumery.
• MuMustardMustard and cumin seeds fried in hot oil or ghee release bitter, cabbage-and-cheese-like aromas, the basis of the Indian tempering…
• SuCauliflowerRoasting cauliflower with cumin brings out a nutty sweetness in both without losing their essential character.
• EaChickpeaCooked chickpeas can taste close to boiled eggs, which invites the seasonings typically paired with egg.
• EaLentilCumin's earthiness is a classic match for brown lentils in vegetarian cooking, though without balance it can taste flat or cardboard-like.
• GrCilantroToasted cumin develops a bitter, smoky earthiness that pairs with cilantro's fresher, brighter notes; together with chili they're common…
• GrCucumberFood writer Sybil Kapoor notes cumin pairs well with other mildly bitter vegetables such as cucumber, eggplant and cauliflower, its…
• EaBarleyOdrajahu karask, an Estonian quick bread, is sometimes flavored with cumin to balance barley flour's natural sweetness.
• EaBeetBeet and cumin share an underlying earthiness but otherwise contrast strongly: cumin's smoky, citric edge enlivens beet's sweetness.
• EaBlack beanBlack bean cakes with chile-cheddar cornbread and salsa is a well-known dish at a café in San Francisco's Tenderloin district; the cakes…
• EaFava beanCanned cooked fava beans (ful) are a Middle Eastern pantry staple with regional variations: Egyptian ful is seasoned with cumin, Lebanese…
• SpFenugreekBoth spices share a musky, slightly sweaty aroma, a note deliberately used in some perfumes.
• CrApricotIn a tagine, cumin's earthy pungency balances the floral, woody sweetness of plump apricots.
• CrMangoA pairing common to both India and Mexico.
• FrTamarindStore-bought tamarind sauces often taste more of stale, pre-ground cumin than of tamarind itself, so it's worth making fresh tamarind…
• SpNigella seedNigella seed's flavor is often described as falling between cumin and thyme, though in spice blends such as the Bengali panch phoron (with…
• BeOreganoMexican oregano (Lippia graveolens, a verbena relative, unlike Mediterranean oregano which belongs to the mint family) has a stronger but…
• GrCarawayDespite occasional comparisons, caraway and cumin taste quite different, caraway crisp and fresh, cumin dirtier and mustier, making them…
• EaKidney beanCumin and kidney bean appear together in soups and burgers, often with carrot for sweetness, or in stuffed breads such as Georgian…
• FfCoriander SeedA frequent combination across Indian, Middle Eastern and North African cooking: sold together, ground or whole, in India; added to harissa…