|
Cumin is a small annual plant of the
parsley family, widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region of Europe and in
India. Primary cultivation of cumin is in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and
North Africa with India and Iran as the largest cumin exporters. The valued
portion of the plant is the dried fruit called cumin seed, which is esteemed as
a condiment. Cumin was known to the Egyptians 5,000 years ago and it was found
in the pyramids. In ancient times cumin was a symbol of greed and meanness.
Curiously, by the Middle Ages it was regarded as a symbol of faithfulness.
Botany
:Cumin, a small, annual herbaceous plant of the parsley
family, grows to a height of about 25 cm. It flourishes best in sunny places
with some rainfall. The small white or pink flowers grow on small compound
umbels. The small, boat-shaped seed has nine ridges and it is brown-yellow in
color. The reported life zone of cumin is 9 to 26 degrees centigrade
with an annual precipitation of 0.3 to 2.7 meters and a soil pH of 4.5 to 8.3.
Cumin thrives on rich, well-drained sandy loam soil. The plant, which needs mild
temperatures during a three to four month growing season, is intolerant of long
periods of dry heat. Plant the seeds in a sunny location after the soil has
become warm in spring. If the rows are 2 feet apart, with 16 to 20 seeds to the
foot, no thinning will be necessary. Cultivate to control weeds.
Cultivation
:In the Middle East, cumin is grown as a winter crop, sown and
harvested between April and May. Seeds are usually collected and threshed by
hand, since the small, tender plants are difficult to harvest mechanically. The
seeds become hard, the fruit changes color, and the vegetative material withers
as the plant matures. The fruit or seed is greenish tan, long and narrow with
ridges down its length. The flavor is warm and bitter. The three major types of
cumin seed on the market, Iranian, Indian, and Middle Eastern, differ in seed
color, quantity of essential oil, and flavor. Late in fall, when the umbels begin to turn brown, the plants
should be cut and tied in small bundles or spread on a screen to dry. When dry
the seeds may be separated by threshing and then cleaned and stored in paper
bags or cartons.
Aroma and flavor :The odor and flavor of cumin is derived largely from the
essential oil, which contains cumaldehyde or cuminic aldehyde as the main
constituent. Other ingredients of the oil are dihydrocuminaldehyde, dl-pinene,
d--pinene, para-cymene, dipentene, and cuminyl alcohol. Synthetic cuminaldehyde
is an adulterant to cumin oil and is very difficult to detect chemically. The
dried seed of cumin has 2.5 to 5 percent essential oil on a dry weight basis and
is obtained by steam distillation.
Culinary use :Cumin is used as a flavoring agent in many ethnic products
such as cheeses, pickles, sausages, soups, stews, stuffings, rice and bean
dishes, and liqueurs. It is an essential component of Mexican foods, along with
Chilli pepper and oregano. Its use is prevalent in many Latin American cuisines.
Cumin is the key ingredient of Indian cooking like all types of curries and
Chilli powders.
Medicinal use :Oil of cumin is used in fragrances. As a medicinal plant,
cumin has been utilized as an antispasmodic, carminative, sedative, and
stimulant. Cumin oil has been reported to have antibacterial activity. Distinct
phototoxic effects have been reported from undiluted cumin oil. It is also used
in veterinary medicines and perfumes.
|
