Roasted Cumin Powder / Jeera Powder

Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) is a pre-dominant spice (Masala) in Indian cooking, and is used extensively in myriad of Indian recipes. Cumin also holds the distinction of being one of the most popular spices across the globe and prominently features in the cuisines of multiple regions -  Middle Eastern, Chinese, Mexican, African. It is an aromatic spice that lends it bitter-warm flavors to many popular Indian dishes and is widely used in curries, salads, soups & condiments such as Cucumber - Mint Raita (Yogurt), Green Chickpea Salad, Aloo Dum, Tamarind Chutney, Bhindi Masala, Rajma, Chole, Matar Paratha & many more. In ancient Indian cooking, spices were used to provide medicinal benefits in addition to enhancing the aroma & flavor of the dish. To name a few of Cumin's many health benefits - besides aiding in digestion and stimulating appetite, Cumin helps to de-toxify the body, improves the body's metabolism by providing heat, helps relieve cold due to antiseptic properties.

Cumin Powder can be purchased from any Indian grocery store. But keep in mind that the pre-made powder does not even come close in aroma & flavor when compared with the freshly prepared powder from Cumin seeds. The seeds are just as readily available in any Indian store, and they are dry roasted and ground to a powder using a mortar-and-pestle or an electric blender. Another benefit of making your own Cumin powder is that dry roasting the Cumin seeds brings out a lovely smoky flavor that is not found in the pre-packaged powdered Cumin. In my kitchen, I make small batches of Cumin powder to last a few days, and store them in an airtight container to retain their freshness.

Ingredients:

6 tbsps Cumin seeds

How to make Roasted Cumin Powder

  1. Place a non stick pan on medium heat.  
  2. Add the cumin seeds & dry roast till they are slightly darker in color and fragrant. Do not let the seeds turn dark brown. Immediately remove from heat & let them cool completely.
  3. Grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
  4. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:
  1. I use Dry Coffee Grinder to grind it into a fine powder.
  2. Roasted Cumin Powder can be stored in an airtight container for several months.

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