Traditions with cumin
Cumin, the seed of a small plant of the parsley family, is among the oldest known spices, found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and today is used in the cooking of the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Latin America and China.
Cumin, the seed of a small plant of the parsley family, is among the oldest known spices, found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and today is used in the cooking of the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Latin America and China. Its warm, earthy taste is the base of many everyday dishes, and its use shows how spices travelled. These pages look at the traditions in which cumin appears, from Moroccan tables to Indian tadka and Mexican chilli.
Where it is used
In Morocco, cumin is set on the table in a small dish with salt, to be sprinkled on grilled meat and eggs. In India, it begins a tadka, seeds popped in hot ghee to start a dal. In Mexico and Texas, it flavours chilli and tacos, in Iran it scents rice and stews, and in Xinjiang it seasons lamb kebabs. Black cumin and caraway are related seeds used in other cuisines.
What it means
Cumin was a symbol of fidelity in ancient Greece and Rome, and in medieval Europe it was said to keep a lover from straying. In Morocco, putting it on the table is a mark of hospitality. In India, a tadka's sizzle is the sound of a meal being started. In daily life, it signals home cooking, and its smell can recall a family's kitchen in an instant.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Cumin (spice). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇹🇳 Nabeul, Tunisia and 4 moreHarissaهريسة
A spicy chili pepper paste from Tunisia, used as a condiment and ingredient across North Africa.Table custom · Dinner
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLakshmi Pujaलक्ष्मीपूजा
A Hindu festival of lamps, prayers and offerings welcoming the goddess of prosperitySpiritual · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇳 IndiaSadyaസദ്യ
A vegetarian feast from Kerala, served on a banana leaf at Onam, Vishu and weddingsTable custom · Lunch
🇮🇳 India and 2 morePehlwani
A traditional discipline of clay-pit wrestling across the Indian subcontinent.Game
🇲🇽 Tijuana, Mexico and 1 moreBirria
A rich, seasoned meat stew from western Mexico, cooked for gatherings and holidaysTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sadya: Augustus Binu / facebook, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pehlwani: Prasanna Revan aka. Prasannare at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Birria: Equipo 9mkt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lakshmi Puja: Subharnab Majumdar, CC BY 2.0, source
- Harissa: Ovva olfa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source