Key facts
| Hindi name | Jeera |
|---|---|
| Also called | Zeera |
| Flavour | Warm, earthy and nutty, with a slightly bitter edge that turns sweet and toasty when the seeds sizzle in oil. |
| Heat | No heat |
| Sold as | Whole seeds, ground, roasted ground |
| Stays fresh | Whole: 1 year, ground: 4 months · check your jars |
| Best substitute | Caraway or shahi jeera are the closest whole-seed swaps. For ground cumin, use a little extra ground coriander with a pinch of chilli. |
| Used in | 15 of our blends and 32 of our dishes |
How to use it
The most common first spice in a tadka: crackle the seeds in hot oil or ghee before adding onions, dal or vegetables. Roasted and ground, it goes into raita, chaas, chaat and jaljeera.
- Add seeds to oil that is hot but not smoking; they are ready when they sizzle and darken by a shade, in about 10 to 20 seconds.
- For roasted cumin powder, dry-roast the seeds in a pan until fragrant and a little darker, cool, then grind.
- Burnt cumin tastes bitter. If it blackens, start again.
Substitute
Caraway or shahi jeera are the closest whole-seed swaps. For ground cumin, use a little extra ground coriander with a pinch of chilli.
Storage
Whole seeds keep their flavour for about a year in an airtight jar away from light; ground cumin is best within three to four months.
Jeera rice gets its name from the cumin seeds fried in ghee before the rice goes in.
Pairs well with
Dishes that use cumin
Blends with cumin
Garam masala (Punjabi style)
North India
The best-known Indian spice mix: warm, aromatic and only mildly hot. Every household has its own version; thi…
Tandoori masala
North India
A brick-red blend made for marinades; the colour comes from Kashmiri chilli rather than heat.
Sambar powder
South India
The roasted spice blend that gives sambar its depth: coriander-heavy, with lentils for body.
Panch phoron
Bengal and Odisha
A whole-seed mix of five spices in equal parts, used without grinding.
Chettinad masala
Tamil Nadu
A peppery, aromatic blend from the Chettinad region, with stone flower and kapok buds.
Kashmiri masala (ver style)
Kashmir
Kashmiri Pandit cooking relies on fennel, dry ginger and Kashmiri chilli rather than onion and garlic.
Curry powder (British-Indian style)
Britain
Curry powder is a British invention: Indian cooks rarely use one blend for everything, but it is handy and wi…
Frequently asked questions
What is cumin called in Hindi?
Jeera. Also known as Zeera.
What can I use instead of cumin?
Caraway or shahi jeera are the closest whole-seed swaps. For ground cumin, use a little extra ground coriander with a pinch of chilli.
How long does cumin keep?
Whole seeds keep their flavour for about a year in an airtight jar away from light; ground cumin is best within three to four months.
Tips from travellers
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Questions from readers
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