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. 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.