Cumin (,[ ;][ Cuminum cyminum) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region.]
Etymology and pronunciation
The term comes via Middle English comyn, from Old English cymen (which is cognate with Old High German kumin) and Old French cummin, both from the Latin term cuminum. This in turn comes from the Ancient Greek κύμινον (kúminon), a Semitic borrowing related to Hebrew language rtl=yes (kammōn) and Arabic rtl=yes (kammūn). All of these ultimately derive from Akkadian 𒂵𒈬𒉡 (kamūnu).[Heinrich Zimmern (1915) Akkadische Fremdwörter als Beweis für babylonischen Kultureinfluss (in German), Leipzig: A. Edelmann, page 57]
The English word is traditionally pronounced (), like coming with an instead of .["Cumin." A Way with Words (Radio broadcast/podcast). 25 October 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2024.] American lexicographer Grant Barrett notes that this pronunciation now is rarely used in his country,[ replaced in the late 20th century][Charles Harrington Elster. "Cumin." The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations: The Complete Opinionated Guide for the Careful Speaker. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1999. pp. 92–93. ] by hyperforeignism () and ().[
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Description
Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the Apiaceae. The cumin plant grows to tall and is harvested by hand. It is an annual plant herbaceous plant, with a slender, glabrous, branched Plant stem that is tall and has a diameter of 3–5 cm (–2 in).
Confusion with other spices
Cumin is sometimes confused with caraway ( Carum carvi), another spice in the parsley family (Apiaceae). Many European and Asian languages do not distinguish clearly between the two; for example, in Indonesia both are called jinten. Many slavic languages and Uralic languages refer to cumin as "Rome caraway" or "spice caraway". The distantly related Bunium persicum and Bunium bulbocastanum and the unrelated Nigella sativa are both sometimes called black cumin ( q.v.).[
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History
Likely originating in Central Asia, Western Asia, or the Eastern Mediterranean,[ In the ancient Egyptian civilization, cumin was used as a spice and as a preservative in mummification.][
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Cumin was a significant spice for the Minoans in ancient Crete. for cumin appear in Linear A archive tablets documenting Minoan palace stores during the Late Minoan period.[Castleden, Rodney, "Minoans: Life in Bronze Age Crete”, Routledge, London & New York, 1990, p.52.] The ancient Greeks kept cumin at the dining table in its own container (much as pepper is frequently kept today), and this practice continues in Morocco. Cumin was also used heavily in ancient Roman cuisine.[
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Cumin was introduced to the Americas by Spanish and Portuguese colonists. Black and green cumin are used in Persian cuisine. Today, the plant is mostly grown in the Indian subcontinent, Northern Africa, Mexico, Chile, and China.[ Since cumin is often used as part of bird food and exported to many countries, the plant can occur as an introduced species in many territories.][ Bird Seed Aliens in Britain]
Cultivation and production
Cultivation areas
India is the world's largest producer of cumin, accounting for about 70%. The other major cumin-producing countries are Syria (13%), Turkey (5%), UAE (3%), and Iran.
Climatic requirements
Cumin is a drought-tolerant tropical or subtropical crop. It is vulnerable to frost and has a growth season of 120 frost-free days.
Grading
The three noteworthy sorts of cumin seeds in the market vary in seed shading, amount of oil, and flavor.
Cultivation parameters
Cumin is grown from seeds. The seeds need for emergence, an optimum of is suggested. Cumin is vulnerable to frost damage, especially at flowering and early seed formation stages.
Two sowing methods are used for cumin, broadcasting and line sowing.
Cultivation management
The relative humidity in the center of origin of cumin is rather low. High relative humidity (i.e. wet years) favors fungal diseases. Cumin is especially sensitive to Alternaria blight and Fusarium wilt. Early-sown crops exhibit stronger disease effects than late-sown crops. The most important disease is Fusarium wilt, resulting in yield losses up to 80%.
Pathogens can lead to high reductions in crop yield. Cumin can be attacked by aphids ( Myzus persicae) at the flowering stage. They suck the sap of the plant from tender parts and flowers. The plant becomes yellow, the seed formation is reduced (yield reduction), and the quality of the harvested product decreases. Heavily infested plant parts should be removed. Other important pests are the ( Petrobia latens) which frequently attack the crop. Since the mites mostly feed on young leaves, the infestation is more severe on young inflorescences.
The open canopy of cumin is another problem. Only a low proportion of the incoming light is absorbed. The leaf area index of cumin is low (about 1.5). This might be a problem because weeds can compete with cumin for essential resources such as water and light and thereby lower yield. The slow growth and the short stature of cumin favors weed competition additionally.
Breeding
Cumin is a diploid species with 14 (i.e. 2n = 14). The chromosomes of the different varieties have morphological similarities with no distinct variation in length and volume. Most of the varieties available today are selections.
Uses
Cumin seed is used as a spice for its distinctive flavor and aroma.[ Cumin can be found in some cheeses, such as Leyden cheese, and in some traditional breads from France. Cumin can be an ingredient in chili powder (often Tex-Mex or Mexican-style) and is found in achiote blends, , sofrito, garam masala, curry powder, and bahaarat, and is used to flavor numerous commercial food products.][ In Indian and other South Asian cuisine, it is often combined with coriander in a powdered mixture called Dhana jiru.
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Cumin can be used ground or as whole seeds.[ It imparts an earthy, warming and aromatic character to food, making it a staple in certain stews and soups, as well as spiced gravies such as curry and chili.][ It is also used as an ingredient in some pickles and pastries.]
Traditional
In India, the seeds are powdered and used in different forms such as kashaya (decoction), arishta (fermented decoction), and vati (tablet/pills), and processed with ghee (a semifluid clarified butter). In traditional medicine practices of several countries, dried cumin seeds are assumed to have medicinal purposes,[ although no scientific evidence has been found for its effectiveness as a drug or medicine.][
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Volatiles and essential oil
Cuminaldehyde, p-Cymene, and are the major volatile components of cumin oil, which is used for a variety of flavoring, , and essential oil.
Aroma
Cumin's flavor and warm aroma are due to its essential oil content, primarily the aroma compound cuminaldehyde.
Nutritional value
Cumin seeds are 8% water, 18% protein, 22% fat, and 44% (table).
In a reference amount of , cumin seeds provide 375 of food energy and high amounts of the daily value for B vitamins, vitamin E, and several dietary minerals, especially iron, magnesium, and manganese (table).
External links
