Cumin is native to the eastern Mediterranean through to East India. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is an annual flowering plant from the family Apiaceae, or parsley family, whose seeds are used in the cuisines of Mexico, Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Beyond its culinary uses, what else is cumin used for and how do you grow cumin?
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region.
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 כמון (kammōn) and Arabic كمون (kammūn). All of these ultimately derive from Akkadian (kamūnu).
The English word is traditionally pronounced (KUM-in), like “coming” with an ⟨n⟩ instead of ⟨ng⟩ (/ŋ/). American lexicographer Grant Barrett notes that this pronunciation now is rarely used, replaced in the late 20th century by hyperforeignized (KYOO-min) and (KOO-min).
Cumin is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. The cumin plant grows to 30–50 cm (12–20 in) tall and is harvested by hand. Cumin is an annual herbaceous plant, with a slender, glabrous, branched stem that is 20–30 cm (8–12 in) tall and has a diameter of 3–5 cm (1+1⁄4–2 in). Each branch has two to three sub-branches. All the branches attain the same height, so the plant has a uniform canopy. The stem is colored grey or dark green.
The leaves are 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long, pinnate or bipinnate, with thread-like leaflets. The flowers are small, white or pink, and borne in umbels. Each umbel has five to seven umbellets. The fruit is a lateral fusiform or ovoid achene 4–5 mm (1⁄6–1⁄5 in) long, containing two mericarps with a single seed. Cumin seeds have eight ridges with oil canals. They resemble caraway seeds, being oblong in shape, longitudinally ridged, and yellow-brown in color, like other members of the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) such as caraway, parsley, and dill.
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 and Uralic languages refer to cumin as “Roman caraway” or “spice caraway”. The distantly related Bunium persicum and Bunium bulbocastanum and the unrelated Nigella sativa are both sometimes called black cumin.
Cumin is a drought-tolerant tropical or subtropical crop. It is vulnerable to frost and has a growth season of 120 frost-free days. The optimum growth temperature ranges are between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 °F). The Mediterranean climate is most suitable for its growth. Cultivation of cumin requires a long, hot summer of three to four months. At low temperatures, the leaf color changes from green to purple. High temperatures might reduce growth period and induce early ripening. In India, cumin is sown from October until the beginning of December, and harvesting starts in February. In Syria and Iran, cumin is sown from mid-November until mid-December (extensions up to mid-January are possible) and harvested in June/July.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Cumin grows best in full sun. Try to plant cumin where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.
Temperature and Humidity
Cumin is a tender herb that requires warm temperatures and freedom from all the possibilities of frost. Take plants outdoors after the last spring frost when temperatures are between 50°F to 80°F and weather is mild. A large amount of cumin can be grown in outdoor garden beds if you protect them under low polytunnels from cool or wet weather. If your growing environment is humid, plant each seedling at least 6 inches apart to limit fungal risks.
Soil and Watering
Cumin grows best in organically rich, well-drained soil and will not germinate in clay soil. As cumin matures, its top-heavy foliage on spindly stems is likely to be knocked over by wind or rain, so it’s important that the soil around the plant remains somewhat dry to decrease fungal risks associated with wet soil. As plants mature, water only when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feel dry to limit plant disease.
Planting Instructions
Cumin plants are sensitive to cold. Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost, but before you plant them, soak the seeds for 8 hours to improve germination. Sow at least three seeds together on the surface of 65°F soil so the seeds will produce plants that can cross-pollinate in the future.
Pruning and Harvesting
Gather cumin seeds before they fall to the ground. You’ll know that the seeds are ready to be harvested when the seeds start browning and drying out. To harvest the seed heads, cut the stems and tie them together, then put the bundles in a paper bag and shake the plant to remove the seeds.
Propagation
Start seeds indoors by sowing three to five seeds per pot. When seedlings are between one and two inches tall, remove all but the hardiest and nurture the remaining seedlings to maturity. When the cumin plants bloom and weather conditions are warm, place them outdoors in a wind-protected location, near other flowers to encourage insect pollination.
Pests and Diseases
The peach green aphid is cumin’s most destructive pest. Since the aphid attacks the cumin plant during flowering, control it by using systemic pesticides such as metasystox or dimethoate, or contact pesticides such as diazinon, malathion, or gusathion.
Ants also commonly attack cumin by carrying away the plant’s seeds when the seeds are ready to be collected from its umbels. Be sure to harvest the plant’s seeds in a timely manner before the ants move in to cause destruction.
Weeds can also be a problem for cumin. The fine, upright, feathery foliage of young cumin plants can easily be overtaken by fast-growing weeds until the plants are mature and have a significant leaf mass.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Medicinal uses
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 believed to have medicinal purposes, although there is no scientific evidence for any use as a drug or medicine.
- Culinary 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, adobos, 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 seeds in a powdered mixture called dhana jeera.
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.
- Other uses
Cuminaldehyde, cymene, and terpenoids are the major volatile components of cumin oil, which is used for a variety of flavors, perfumes, and essential oil. Cumin oil may be used as an ingredient in some cosmetics.
