A half-hardy annual with finely divided, feathery leaves and umbels of very small white flowers. The fruits (seeds) are yellowish-brown and ovoid in shape with a distinctive, warm and spicy lingering aroma. The plant is a little like caraway (Carum carvi) in appearance, and occasionally confused with it, but quite different in taste.
History and traditions
Cumin was grown in Arabia, India and China from earliest times. There are descriptions of how it was cultivated in the Bible (Isaiah 28:25-27) and the practice of paying it in tithes (a church tax) is referred to in the New Testament. It is mentioned by the Greek physicians, Hippocrates and Dioscorides, and Pliny reports that the ground seed was taken with bread and water or wine as a remedy for “squeamishness”. Cumin was a very popular spice in Britain and Europe during the middle ages for its strong taste.
Growth
Grow in a well-drained to sandy soil. Propagated from seed and should be sown under glass in cool temperate regions and trans-planted after all frosts. Although it may flower, it is unlikely that fruits will ripen in cool climates.
Uses
Medicinal
Decoctions or infusions of the seeds are taken for digestive disorders, diarrhea, colds and feverish illnesses. In Ayurvedic medicine it is also used to treat piles and for renal colic. The essential oil has anti-septic and antibacterial properties and is applied externally (diluted) for boils and insect bites.
Culinary
Widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern cookery to flavor curries, soups, meat and vegetable dishes, bread, biscuits and cheese; and as an ingredient of spice mixtures, pickles and chutneys. There are several species of cumin which produce seeds of varying color and strength of flavor.
