Fresh Ground Cumin Powder is quick and easy to make at home and it is it’s way better than the cumin powder you get in the shops! It is the quintessential ingredient in many dishes like Cucumber Raita, Chana Masala, and spice blends like garam masala and curry powder.
If you have got 10 minutes at hand, Here is how I make it at home! ( Step by step )
What is Cumin Powder or Ground Cumin?
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is a leafy flowering plant and it’s native to the Middle East, China and India. The seeds that are inside the fruit are dried and then used as whole cumin seeds or ground cumin. You can learn more about this from Wiki
Cumin Powder is known by many names across the planet like Ground Cumin, Ground Cumin Seeds, Roasted Cumin Powder, Jeera Powder, and Bhuna Jeera Powder.
Made with pan-roasted cumin seeds and then blended into smooth powder, this Ground cumin has all the robust and earthy flavors from cumin seeds and a familiar flavor profile found in multi-national cuisine. Adding this roasted powder enhances the dishes to altogether a new level!
You can also make Easy Ground cumin ( also known as Jeera Powder ) at home, by simply powdering the unroasted seeds in a coffee grinder or a spice grinder or blender. However, roasting the cumin seeds adds a beautiful layer the flavors to the dish.
To retain freshness and flavor, store the fresh cumin powder in an airtight container, in a cool dry place.
I always have a fresh stock of this ground cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sambar powder, rasam powder, and Milagai Podi (edible gun powder) stored in my pantry.
Cumin Seeds & Cumin Powder
Cumin is a staple spice used in Indian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, and African cuisines as whole seeds and as ground powder.
The role of adding the whole seeds and powder to a dish are not interchangeable, even though the ground cumin is made from cumin seeds.
Both the cumin seeds and ground cumin conduct themselves differently in a dish. Cumin Seeds are usually added in oil/ ghee for tempering in curries, cumin rice, dals, and stews, or toasted seeds are added to salads or to the bread dough for a smoky and savory taste. One bite into each seed will burst out into tons of flavor. On the contrary, roasted Ground Cumin is added to the dish while cooking or as a finishing touch. It blends well with other spices and elevates the bold flavors of the dish altogether to a new level.
Cumin Benefits
Cumin has many known health benefits including digestion, immune system, and circulation.
Other Health Benefits of Cumin also include
- Contains Antioxidants
- Has anti-cancer properties
- Has an anti-inflammatory effect
- Improves symptoms of IBS
- Helps control blood sugar
- Rich in Vit E and hence has anti-aging Properties
Usage Tips of Ground Cumin
Whole Cumin Seeds or Ground Cumin – both are wonderfully versatile and their uses are in plenty.
You can add this ground cumin powder to aromatic curry sauces and marinades like Chana Masala, Butter Paneer, Vegan Tofu Korma, or even Palak Paneer, where they mingle well with other spice blends.
They can also sprinkled over dishes like Chaat recipes – Sev Puri, Dahi Puri, Samosa Chole Chaat, or salads for distinctive flavors.
I personally love adding Cumin to my Cucumber Raita and Masala Chaas where they add that extra kick!
You can make this Cumin Rasam or Jeera Rasam – a delicious South Indian recipe that’s delicious with steaming hot rice.
And this Cumin Tea with ground cumin is delicious too with a drizzle of honey. The detailed recipe below.
When you lightly toast the ground cumin, they release an earthy aroma, adding a delicious layer of flavors to any dish.
How long do Spices Last?
Whole Spices, Seasonings, Herbs, and Ground spices do not expire. When stored in small airtight jars, they will keep well for up to 1-3 years.
However, there are exceptions when it comes to whole seeds and ground spices, where the latter loses its freshness quicker.
The shelf life of Cumin Seeds is up to a Year while the cumin powder is about 2-3 months.
Make them in small portions to retain the freshness for long. 1 Tsp of Cumin seeds will roughly yield 1 1/4 Tsp Ground Cumin Powder.
You can easily revive the flavors of these spices.
To Revive Spices
Gently Toast the spice in the skillet – Place the ground cumin or curry powder in the dry skillet and toast in low flame for 2-3 minutes until it’s noticeably fragrant. Add them to your favorite dish.
Add the spice to hot oil – For spices that have lost their freshness, I like to add them to the hot oil and then immediately add them to the curries. This method works very well for spice blends without any chilli powder.
How to make Cumin Tea / Cumin Chai?
Boil the water in the kettle to 100 C. Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds per cup. Add boiling water from the kettle to cups/tea pot and allow it to stand for at least 3-5 minutes to infuse.
Pour into cups and season with runny honey and lemon ( if you fancy ). Serve hot cumin tea!
To make Cumin seed tea, add 1 tsp of Cumin Powder per cup. Pour boiling water into the cup and allow the Cumin to infuse for 3 minutes. Now stir in honey and serve.
How do I make Cumin Powder? ( STEP BY STEP )
It is quick and easy to make cumin powder at home and the only ingredient you need is CUMIN SEEDS. You will also need tools like a skillet, spatula, plate, and a grinder.
Three Steps to make Homemade Ground Cumin
Step 1 Dry Roast – Place the cumin seeds in a skillet/ pan and dry roast in the low- medium flame without any fat like oil or ghee until fragrant and slightly dark in color. Use a spatula to stir the seeds for roasting. Leaving them too long unattended will leave an unpleasant flavor.
Step 2 Cool – Remove from heat and Transfer the toasted seeds to a plate and allow them to cool down.
Step 3 Blend – Transfer the cooled seeds to a grinder and process until you have a smooth powder. Store this roasted ground powder in an airtight jar in a cool dried place.
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EASY HOMEMADE CUMIN POWDER RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cumin Seeds
Instructions
- Place the cumin seeds in a pan and roast until become fragrant, crisp and browned. ( roughly 4 -5 minutes )
- Remove from flame and transfer to a plate to cool down.
- Now transfer to a grinder and make a smooth fine powder of cumin seeds.
- Store this roasted ground powder in an airtight jar in a cool dried place.
One of the best spice and important one used in Indian cooking. Thanks for sharing all the tips.
I use cumin all the time but had never thought to make it on my own. Never buying store-bought again! Woo hoo!
Wow this is awesome I never had a clue what cumin was no less a seed1 this is great info thanks!
Absolutely. Cumin has all the health benefits and I use them to treat Bloating, Indigestion too.
I had never thought about making cumin powder from scratch but we cook with it ALL the time, and this recipe is brilliant!
It never occurred to me that I can actually make cumin powder at home from seeds. What a fantastic idea. Sounds so much better than the store-bought stuff.