The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | EARTHY TERPENES | Cumin 127

Sulphur brings

flavours of green

vegetables and

roast meats

Pyrazines bring

mainly nutty,

roasted flavours

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Cumin is particularly responsive to

toasting: bruise and dry fry the seeds

to produce roasted-tasting pyrazines.

Some new toasted compounds also

contain sulphur.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Cumin’s uniquely musky, spicy flavour derives from cuminaldehyde, a compound

found in found in roast beef and cinnamon but sparingly in other spices. Oher

important compounds include pinene, which gives the spice its dry, pinewood

nuance, and cymene, which has a fresh, turpentine-like aroma.

FOOD PARTNERS

Aubergine and root vegetables

Toast and crush seeds for sprinkling

over roasted aubergine, a beetroot dip,

or puréed roots.

Pulses Use as a flavouring for dhal

and other lentil stews, in falafel mix, and

scattered over hummus.

Beef and lamb Add a pinch of

ground cumin to minced lamb for

Moorish-style kebabs, or to beef rendang,

Mexican mole, and chilli con carne.

Salt Toast seeds and then grind with

an equal quantity of sea salt, for sprinkling

over roast chicken, tomato salad, avocado

toast, tacos, or roast potatoes.

Yogurt Combine cumin seeds,

yogurt, and lemon to make a dressing for

roasted vegetables or a salad of bitter

leaves, such as mustard greens or kale.

Kitchen

creativity

bring out woodiness with

other pinenes:

black pepper adds warmth

and enhances the mild pungency

black cardamom’s

smokiness also works with

cumin’s earthy side

pair with sweet spices to

complement its tenacious

warming qualities:

cinnamon, cardamom bring

sweet warmth, and carry some

cuminaldehyde

nutmeg matches well for

warming muskiness, also

sharing pinene

use cymene to bridge with

other spices’ flavours:

star anise and anise add

liquorice with eucalyptus

coriander is citrus and floral

to balance cumin’s bitterness

ajwain gives an intensely

herbal thyme-like flavour

nigella adds a charred,

mustard-onion spiciness

CUMINALDEHYDE

bitter | herby |

earthy

PINENE

pine | fresh |

conifer wood

CYMENE

woody | citrus |

harsh

BLENDS TO TRY

Try these recipes for classic blends

featuring cumin, or why not adapt

them with some blending science?

Turkish baharat p23

Za'atar p22

Advieh p27

Dukkah p28

Hawaij p29

Chaat masala p42

Shandong spice bag p58

BBQ rub p68

Cumin is an essential component of Indian, North African, Levantine, and Mexican

cuisine. Used alone or in combination with other spices, it imbues a diverse range

of savoury dishes with its distinctive, highly aromatic, and pungent flavour.

CUMIN

Cu

126-127_Cumin.indd 127 13/06/2018 16:23