The popularity of spices among our compatriots is gaining momentum. Now great amount people buy such products in supermarkets and specialized stores and actively uses it in everyday cooking. But few people know that seasonings have not only interesting taste qualities, they are also capable of providing quite an active therapeutic effect. Cumin is just such an amazing spice. Let’s try to figure out what properties of this product can be useful for our body, consider treatment recipes using this spice, and also talk about the use of this seasoning in cooking.

What kind of seasoning does cumin have? beneficial features?

Cumin is a seasoning that is known to many of us under its second name – cumin. This product Botanists belong to the genus Parsley. It is believed that the spice cumin is the most popular seasoning in Asian countries. In addition, it has been used since ancient times in therapeutic purposes.

Unique qualities cumin is explained by its diverse and balanced composition. So this spice is the source of a significant amount essential oil, thymol, and cumic aldehyde. It contains a certain amount of alcohols and is rich in perilla aldehyde, beta-phellandrene, alpha and beta pinine. Among other things, cumin is a source of p-cymene and dipentene.

This spice is an excellent aphrodisiac, which also has tonic qualities. Consumption of cumin leads to optimization of digestion processes and activates appetite. It can be used in the treatment of kidney diseases, as well as stomach diseases, in the correction of diarrhea, colic and flatulence. This seasoning has diuretic properties, and it also perfectly cleanses the body of toxins. It is advisable to use it in the treatment of certain kidney diseases. Many healers advise using cumin to enhance lactation, as well as in the fight against insomnia and in the correction of memory disorders.

Cumin is a spice that has quite powerful antiseptic properties. Its external use helps effective elimination tumor formations, as well as healing various types of rashes. In addition, this spice can reduce the intensity of painful sensations.

The use of cumin helps clear the respiratory tract. This product effectively eliminates nausea, and this property helps to cope with toxicosis in the first half of pregnancy.

Zira is often advised to be taken for ailments of the digestive and respiratory system. So this product can help in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of the bronchi and in the correction of wet cough. This spice is also effective in soothing nervous system.

Using cumin - recipes for treatment

To achieve a mild sedative, laxative and diuretic effect, eliminate toxins and treat the kidneys, it is worth brewing a couple of teaspoons of cumin seeds with one glass of just boiled water. The resulting composition should be drunk in several doses, having previously studied the contraindications of the spice.

To eliminate flatulence, heaviness in the stomach, as well as indigestion and pain associated with these disorders, boil a teaspoon of cumin in a glass of water. Cool the resulting mixture and take it several times a day.

To treat skin ailments, including furunculosis, it is worth combining cumin powder with water to form a paste. Apply this mixture to the affected areas. Also for this purpose, you can prepare an infusion of cumin and use it to apply lotions.

It is believed that a mixture of cumin powder with olive oil can be used to resolve tumors. The resulting composition should be applied as a compress over the affected area.

Cumin seasoning - use in cooking

Zira has a strong, spicy and slightly warming aroma and taste. It is recommended to use it only fresh, since the seasoning may become bitter if stored for a long time. This spice is often added to various fermented milk products, making it especially aromatic and giving interesting taste. Cumin is very good in vegetables. It is also recommended to use it in the preparation of pilaf, and you can combine cumin with coriander and barberry.

When preparing hot dishes, this spice should be added at the initial stage of cooking. Cumin can be added to hot oil immediately before frying or stewing the main products. When lightly fried, this seasoning increases the aroma of the dish by an order of magnitude.

Jeera is often used in baking, fried and stewed vegetables, as well as sauces and soups. In some countries, cheese with this seasoning is especially popular. Ground cumin can be used to season salads, sandwiches, pizza, etc. This spice is also suitable for cooking beans, peas, potatoes and cabbage.

What are the contraindications for use of cumin spice?

It should be taken into account that cumin can provoke allergic reactions. In addition, the use of this spice is contraindicated for gastritis with a high degree of acidity and peptic ulcers.

28.03.2018

Zira is loved by many not only because it is a seasoning for pilaf, but also because it has beneficial health properties and has almost no contraindications for use. Read on to find out what cumin is, what it's also called, and why it deserves a place on your spice rack.

What is cumin?

Zira is a seasoning made from small dried grey-yellow oblong seeds with a strong characteristic aroma and spicy taste.

Zira is widely distributed due to its unique spicy taste, this is one of traditional seasonings in North African, Middle Eastern, Western European, Indian, Cuban and Northern Mexican cuisine.

Jeera is also often found in spice blends, such as garam masala, curry powder, adobo, and baharat. The most common variety is brownish-yellow, although black, green and white cumin are sometimes found.

What does cumin seasoning look like - photo

general description

The name of the seasoning "jeera" is used in different countries to designate seeds of two genera of plants of the same family Apiaceae:

• Bunium;
• Cumin.

Bunium, in turn, is divided into about 40 species.

Thus, the term “jeera” combines several types of umbrella plants. They can vary greatly in size, number of flowers, and shade of flowers and fruits.

For example, in Central Asia (from Iran to Kashmir) Iranian or Persian cumin and black cumin are called different types buniuma.

In the rest of India, cumin is the name given to cumin fruit, while bunium is considered "black Kashmir cumin". Not all varieties are allowed for sale on the world market due to unstable quality, and most of them are sold only in local markets.

So, cumin is a small flowering annual plant belonging to the Umbelliferae (lat. Umbelliferae), or Celery, or Celery (Apiaceae) family.

Its scientific name is Cumin cyminum. Jeera is also called cumin, Roman cumin, cumin, cumin cumin, zera, kammun.

Today, cumin is grown all over the world for its pleasantly aromatic seeds.

It usually grows from 10 to 30 cm in height and has completely smooth stems that are highly branched from the base. The stems are thin and rather weak, which often leads to the fact that in large plants they grow in a horizontal position, lying on the ground.

The leaves are blue-green up to 7 cm long, and the flowers are small white or light pink. The flowers are hermaphrodite (containing both male stamens and female stigmas) and are pollinated by insects.

The seeds are 4-5mm dry fruits that split into halves when ripe.

Jeera seeds are often confused with the large and slightly curved seeds of black cumin (Nigella sativa).

How to obtain cumin seasoning

The part of the cumin plant used as a seasoning is the seeds. In many countries, harvesting is still done by hand.

Shortly before the fruits ripen, the plants are collected, dried in the sun for 8-12 hours, then threshed. Next, the debris is sifted out from the seeds and sent for storage and sale.

Today, India and Iran are the largest producers of this spice, but cumin is also grown in China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Sicily, Malta, Cyprus, southern parts of Russia and Central and South America.

Chemical composition of cumin

Jeera seeds contain many phytochemicals that have many beneficial properties.

Nutritional value of cumin seeds (Cumin cyminum) per 100 g.

Name	Quantity	Percent of daily norm, %
Energy value(calorie content)	375 kcal	19
Carbohydrates	44.24 g	34
Protein	17.8 g	32
Fats	22.27 g	74
Dietary fiber(cellulose)	10.5 g	26
Folates	10 mcg	2,5
Niacin	4.58 mg	28,5
Pyridoxine	0.435 mg	33
Riboflavin	0.32 mg	24,5
Thiamine	0.628 mg	52
Vitamin A	1270 IU	42
Vitamin C	7.7 mg	13
Vitamin E	3.3 mg	22
Vitamin K	5.4 mcg	4,5
Sodium	1788 mg	38
Potassium	68 mg	11
Calcium	931 mg	93
Copper	0.877 mg	96
Iron	66.36 mg	829
Magnesium	366 mg	91
Manganese	3.3 mg	145
Phosphorus	499 mg	71
Zinc	4.8 mg	43,5
Beta Carotene	762 mcg	-
Lutein-zeaxanthin	448 mcg

Physiological role

Zira seasoning can have the following effects on the body:

• antioxidant;
• carminative;
• antimicrobial;
• antispasmodic;
• antifungal;
• anticancer;
• increasing lactation;
• antidiabetic;
• improves metabolism;
• restorative.

Health Benefits of Jeera Seasoning

Jeera contains health-promoting essential oils such as zyraldehyde (4-isopropylbenzaldehyde), pyrazines, 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine, 2-ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine, and 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine.

The active substances in cumin improve intestinal motility and aid digestion by increasing the secretion of gastrointestinal juice (enzyme).

The spice is also rich in minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Copper and iron are needed by the body to produce red blood cells. Zinc is a cofactor for many enzymes that regulate growth and development, digestion and synthesis of nucleic acids. Potassium – important component cells and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure. Human body uses manganese as a cofactor for the important antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

This seasoning contains very good quantity B vitamins such as thiamine, B-6, niacin, riboflavin and other vital antioxidants - vitamin E, A and C.

Zira is great source fiber necessary for normal digestion.

The seeds are also high in flavonoid phenolic antioxidants such as carotenes, zeaxanthin and lutein.

Here are some of its useful properties:

• Jeera improves digestion. It contains up to 6% essential oils with a main ingredient called zyraldehyde, which increases the formation of digestive fluids - saliva, gastric juice, bile secretions and thus helps improve digestion.
• Zira relieves constipation. It stimulates intestinal peristalsis, that is, the movement with which stool is carried into the rectum and then eliminated from the body. At the same time, it eliminates bloating and discomfort.
• Zira is effective remedy for weight loss. Thanks to the above two beneficial properties, this seasoning works well in a set of measures aimed at weight loss.
• Zira fights the fungus Candida albicans. Since it has a pronounced antifungal effect, it is very helpful in restoring intestinal flora and fighting Candida albicans.
• Jeera reduces the risk of cancer. A 2003 study found that subjects who consumed cumin daily diet, were much less likely to develop cervical or stomach cancer than subjects who did without it.
• Jeera is good for bone health. When hormone levels drop in women during menopause, bone density is compromised. In 2008, Indian scientists proved that cumin extract can maintain bone density as it normalizes estrogen levels.
• Zira stimulates lactation. Jeera seeds are sometimes used to make tea, which increases the production of breast milk in nursing women, as well as fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare).
• Jeera is good for diabetes. Studies have shown that this spice has anti-diabetic effects.

Despite the rich useful substances The composition due to which cumin has beneficial properties, it still has some contraindications for use.

Contraindications (harm) and possible side effects from cumin

Jeera seeds are safe to eat as a seasoning, that is, when it is added little by little to food. Too much a large number of may be harmful to health and cause:

• irritation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• stomach upset;
• ulcer.

The maximum dosage of cumin taken as food additives ranges from 300 to 600 mg per day.

Researchers have found evidence that it suppresses testosterone levels, which means cumin reduces male fertility. It has been used in some cultures to induce miscarriage, so this is something to keep in mind for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

Individual reactions to the consumption of cumin may occur in people who are allergic to other species of the Apiaceae family (anise, cumin, carrots, celery, fennel and parsley).

IN medicinal doses Zira is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

What is the smell and taste of cumin?

Zira has a strong sweetness spicy aroma and a slightly bitter taste with a slight pungency. If you heat it in a dry frying pan before adding it to food, it acquires a mild, nutty flavor.

Ground cumin has a very distinctive taste with earthy, nutty, spicy notes with slightly bitter undertones and a warm, penetrating aroma of lemon peel.

How to choose and where to buy cumin

Zira is almost always available in the seasoning department of supermarkets in large cities, as well as in specialized stores. Sold both as seeds and as ground powder in packages. Good cumin should exude a pleasant, delicious aroma, if you rub it between your fingers.

Buy whole seeds instead of ground ones, as the powder is often adulterated with foreign impurities. Be sure to check the expiration date and sealed packaging.

Be careful when choosing cumin exotic countries: Due to the large number of varieties and confusion in names, there is a high probability of purchasing a low-quality spice.

It is often more profitable to buy cumin seasoning in the international online store IHerb, where world-famous manufacturers and guaranteed quality sell spices.

How and how long to store cumin

Store whole cumin seeds in a cool, dry, dark place in airtight containers for several months. If necessary, grind the required amount using a hand mill or mortar and pestle.

If you don't often add cumin to your food, you can store the seasoning in the freezer for a long time so that it does not lose its flavor.

It is best to keep ground cumin in the refrigerator in a hermetically sealed jar and use it as soon as possible, since the powder quickly loses its taste and aroma - in just a couple of months.

Use of cumin in cooking

You can get more flavor and aroma from cumin if you lightly fry the seeds in a frying pan without oil over medium heat before adding them to a dish. When cumin seeds are exposed high temperature, they secrete compounds called pyrazines, which provide more rich taste dish.

Since cumin has a strong taste, add it in small quantities:

• For soups and stews– ½ tsp. seeds per 1 liter.
• For fillings and minced meat – ½ tsp. ground fruits per 1 kg.

Zira goes well with other herbs and spices, successfully combined with bay leaf, cardamom, chili, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger and nutmeg.

One teaspoon of whole cumin seeds equals about ¾ tsp. ground

Where to add cumin seasoning

Zira – main spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, its use is to flavor most meat dishes, as well as some types of fish.

It releases flavor well when used with legumes, unsweetened pastries, cabbage, sharp cheeses, chicken, eggplant, lamb, lentils, onions, potatoes, rice, sauerkraut and pumpkin.

Zira goes well with allspice, anise seeds, yellow and brown mustard, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, turmeric.

Below are some ideas for where to add cumin seasoning, whole or ground:

• Add it to marinade for meat and poultry.
• Use for barbecue and barbecue sauces.
• Don't forget to add cumin when preparing pilaf along with barberry and turmeric.
• Can be put into bun or bread dough.
• Sprinkle the cumin onto the omelette mixture.
• Fry with onions and add lentils for flavor.
• Mix with olive oil and pour over a vegetable dish.
• Add cumin to rice or couscous for an exotic taste.
• Add it to spicy soups or sauces.
• Use in curries and chillies.
• Stew lamb or pork stew with cumin.
• Use in pickles and when pickling vegetables for the winter. Zira goes well with zucchini and eggplant.
• It goes well with fried potatoes.

How to roast and grind cumin

When heated, cumin fully reveals all shades of aroma. Here's the best way to prepare it for adding to dishes:

1. Heat a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat.
2. Place cumin seeds in it and stir very often for 3-4 minutes.
3. The seeds will become darker and begin to emit a delicious aroma.
4. Remove from heat and transfer cumin to a plate to cool.
5. Then grind it in a coffee grinder (it should be for spices only).

Ground cumin is not fried as it sticks to the pan and burns very easily.

Recipe for Uzbek pilaf with cumin and barberry – video

How to cook Indian dish "jeera rice" (rice with cumin)

Cook Indian Favorites aromatic dish cumin rice, also known as rice with cumin.

Ingredients;

• basmati rice (or jasmine rice) – 1 cup;
• butter – 50 grams;
• zira – ½ teaspoon;
• salt - a pinch;
• boiling water - 2 cups.

How to cook:

1. Melt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan butter. If you have ghee, then cook the dish with it.
2. Add cumin (cumin) to hot oil.
3. Fry the cumin until light brown. Rinse the rice well under running water.
4. Add rice to hot oil, add salt and stir. Fry the rice for 5-7 minutes.
5. Then pour in hot water and stir in the cumin rice. Once boiling, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook the cumin rice until the water evaporates.
6. Turn off the gas and let the dish sit for 10-15 minutes.

Fragrant and tasty dish from distant India is ready. Zira rice is a self-sufficient dish and you can eat it just like that, without any additives.

How to replace cumin in a recipe

When a recipe calls for cumin and you don't have it on hand, use one of the following substitutes instead:

• Cumin. Belongs to the same Celery family and is similar in both appearance and taste, although it is stronger and spicy. To replace cumin, first add half the amount indicated in the recipe, and then use your own taste. This substitute will not change the color of the dish.
• Ground coriander– another member of the same family and another Alternative option, although it will change the taste ready-made dish. Start with half required quantity. You can add a little chili powder to give it the heat that coriander lacks to replace the taste of cumin.
And nutmeg that create complex aroma– sweet, citrusy and spicy at the same time. The color is very similar to cumin, so this seasoning will not change appearance dishes. Reduce by half too specified quantity to start.
• Curry powder. The ingredients in this seasoning vary, but cumin always figures heavily. A typical curry powder also includes coriander, turmeric, ginger, mustard, fenugreek, black pepper and cinnamon. They add an earthy, sweet and spicy flavor to any dish. If you decide this substitute is best, be aware that it will change color slightly as turmeric is bright yellow. Likewise, use half of what is required and adjust the amount to taste.

So, today on the website you learned all the details about what cumin seasoning is, why it is needed in cooking and how it is useful, and also received important information about its beneficial properties and contraindications for use as a medicine.

Many housewives believe that cumin and cumin are the same thing. Is this really true? In this article we will study this issue in detail: we will tell you what spices such as cumin and cumin are, how they differ (photos of each spice will be presented below) and where they are used.

Queen of Oriental Spices

Zira is a plant belonging to the small genus Kmin of the Apiaceae family. Quite often this spice is called Roman caraway, or cumin. According to many, cumin and cumin are the same thing, but this is far from true. They really look very similar, but the taste of these spices is completely different. Central Asia is considered the birthplace of zira. It has long been used as a spice in Ancient India, Greece, Rome, and the Greeks and Romans used cumin for treatment - this is mentioned in the works of Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides.

There are several types of cumin that have different tastes and aroma. The most common are Persian and Kirman cumin. Zira has a pungent taste and bright aroma with nutty notes.

Description of caraway

One of the oldest plants discovered in Stone Age pile buildings is caraway. In our state, this plant is found in meadows, along roadways, along forest edges, almost anywhere. It belongs to the celery family. In the first year of life, a fleshy, weakly branched root crop and a rosette of feathery leaves are formed; in the second year, a branched stem is ejected, the height of which can reach 90 centimeters. Cumin blooms in July. The fruits are elongated two-seeds. Seeds small sizes, ribbed. Young leaves contain about 45% ascorbic acid, and root vegetables accumulate sugar.

Black cumin grows in the Caucasus, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. This spice is often perceived as cumin. We will try to find out how the oriental spice differs from black cumin. Both spices have a pungent odor and bitter taste, however taste characteristics are noticeably different, which is why they are used differently in cooking. No one eastern pilaf cannot do without the addition of cumin; in addition, it is often present in meat dishes, sausages and cheeses. Mainly used as a spice in cooking confectionery, drinks and to add flavor to pickles.

Zira and cumin: how do they differ in chemical composition?

Cumin seeds contain about 20% fatty oil, from 2.5 to 4% essential oils (which contain cuminaldehyde, kimole, paracymol, kimin and carvone), 10-15% proteins, no more than 16% gum, and flavonoids, cumic and beta-pinins, tannins, B vitamins, dipentene, beta-phellandrene, ascorbic acid, perylaldehyde, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other minerals.

The composition of cumin seeds includes flavonoids, fatty and essential oils, protein compounds, coumarins, minerals and tannins. The essential oil contains limonene, carvone and carvacrol (it is thanks to this substance that the special aroma appears). A large amount of ascorbic acid accumulates in the roots of cumin.

Useful properties of spices

As you can see in the photo, cumin and cumin are very similar in appearance. How are these spices different? Properties. Regular use cumin helps in the fight against insomnia, amnesia, nervous exhaustion, migraine, stomach colic, dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, bronchitis, cholelithiasis and kidney stones, cough. The benefits of cumin do not end there. This oriental spice normalizes digestion, prevents blood clots, protects the body from heart attacks, improves functioning of cardio-vascular system, helps improve vision and brain activity.

Zira has a tonic, diuretic and antiseptic effect, increases libido, and removes toxins from the body. Cumin is a lifesaver in the first months of pregnancy: it relieves nausea and prevents bloating. Pediatricians use cumin to treat children's flatulence, and the Greeks prepare medicinal children's tea from it.

Cumin fruits have also been found wide application in medicine (used to treat headaches, pneumonia and bronchitis). The spice is considered a good antiseptic. It has cumin and antihelminthic properties. Essential oil helps improve digestion, suppress fermentation processes, normalize bile secretion, relax smooth muscles, and in addition has a sedative effect. The spice seeds are recommended for use for flatulence, urinary tract pathology, constipation and intestinal atony.

By becoming familiar with the beneficial properties of such popular spices as cumin and cumin (we have already found out what the difference is between outwardly similar plants), you can not only add an extraordinary aroma to your dishes, but also improve your health.

Contraindications for use

Is everyone allowed to eat this kind of food? healthy seasonings, like cumin and cumin? We have already figured out how they differ. Let's talk about in what cases it is recommended to stop using these spices. Thus, the use of cumin is contraindicated for duodenal and stomach ulcers.

People with weak hearts should avoid eating meat and fish dishes, seasoned with cumin, as it increases the likelihood of a heart attack. The spice is not recommended for digestive juice, produced by the stomach, and with anemia. Cumin is contraindicated for thrombophlebitis and thrombosis. Seeds consumed in large quantities can lead to rejection of transplanted organs.

Application

Caraway fruits are used to obtain essential oil; young shoots are added to salads, soups and pates. Today it is one of the most popular spices used for flavoring confectionery products. alcoholic drinks, marinades, sauces and canned food. Essential oil has been used in cosmetology and medicine.

Zira seeds can be used in cooking either whole or ground. In India, cumin is added to vegetable dishes, in Greece, Simir-style sausages are prepared with this seasoning, in Uzbekistan - pilaf, various soups, cold appetizers, in Kyrgyzstan - marinades and sauces, in Armenia - dry-cured sausage Sujuk.

Beginner cooks, after reading this material, will be able to safely answer the questions: “What are cumin and cumin used for? How are these spices different and what beneficial properties do they have?

Cumin or cumin (Cuminum cyminum of the Umbelliferae family) in Latin America, Africa, the Mediterranean, Asian countries, especially in India, is a Very Important Spice, without which almost no dish can do.
One of the Sanskrit names for cumin is sugandhan - good-smelling.
The small island of Comino in the Maltese archipelago (Mediterranean) is even named after cumin - it is covered with fields of this spice.

Cumin (cumin) spice used in cooking
Thanks to confusion in ancient times with the translation of the name of the spice into European languages, cumin is often confused with caraway, but these are different spices.
Exist several varieties of cumin: Black cumin, binum, white cumin are the most common, they are used in our country, and will be discussed further.

It is customary to fry cumin in oil (with onions) or in a dry frying pan - the spice slightly changes its taste and reveals new aromas.
Cumin has a strong spicy pungent odor and taste with a nutty note.
The most popular dish, in which cumin (or cumin) is used everywhere is pilaf.
Cumin (cumin) is added to fish and meat dishes.
Vegetable stew You will be grateful for the spice - cumin will add a wonderful aromatic note to your dish; however, like fried vegetables.
In general, cumin is not only tasty, but also useful to add to dishes with peas, beans, beans (for example, dhal), potatoes, because cumin improves the digestion of these “heavy” foods.
Soups with the addition of cumin to the frying (onions, carrots) are very good.

Cumin seeds are added to baking dough. Cumin is also found in some teas.
Cumin is added to meat marinades, as well as pickled vegetables and fruits for aroma, taste and longer shelf life.
Ground cumin is good in fillings, salads, sour-milk drinks, preserves and jams.
In Africa (Algeria, Morocco), cumin spice is added to borschet - a kind of lula kebab, and cumin is also used in the preparation of Maghreb couscous.
Cheese and cottage cheese with cumin are a hit in France.
Greeks and Germans love to add cumin to sausages, stews, soups, sauerkraut.
In Mexico and Spain, cumin is included in the traditional and favorite dish chile con carne - spicy meat;
In India, cumin is used in almost any dish; Indians and young people use it fresh leaves cumin, adding them to salads and soups.
Cumin is included in various spice mixtures: curry, garam masala, chutney (sweet and spicy seasonings), mexican mixtures, dukkah, baharat adwiya, zaatar, sambaar podi...
When stored for a long time, cumin begins to taste bitter, especially when ground.

Medicinal uses of the spice cumin (jeera)
Zira (cumin) has been used since ancient times not only in cooking, but also in medicine. For example, the Greeks still cook special tea, improving the well-being of children.
Cumin is a good tonic and an aphrodisiac.
The effect of cumin improves digestion (treatment of gastric and kidney diseases, flatulence, colic, diarrhea), stimulates appetite. Zira has a diuretic effect. Removes toxins from the body.
Zira is used in gynecology (increasing milk production in nursing mothers...) and neurology (helps fight amnesia, insomnia...).
The spice cumin is an antiseptic; externally helps to resolve tumors, various skin swellings (pimples, rashes...). Reduces pain.
Jeera is good for cleaning respiratory tract.
Helps fight nausea, incl. in the first months of pregnant women.
In dentistry, thymol contained in cumin seeds is used.
Cumin seeds contain 2.5 to 4% essential oil, cumic aldehyde (25-35%), thymol, perilla aldehyde, cumic alcohol, alpha and beta pinine (21%), dipentene, p-cymene and beta-phellandrene .
Cumin oil is used in the perfume industry.

Description of the spice cumin (jeera)
Cumin, cumin, Indian cumin, Roman cumin (when cumin came to Europe the translation was incorrect, so there was confusion between cumin and caraway, which are actually different spices), zra, zatr, jaara - these are not all the names of cumin (Cuminum cyminu) of the Umbrella family (Umbelliferae).

Cumin (cumin) is a one- to two-year-old herbaceous plant up to 30 cm high, preferring to grow in the tropics and subtropics. The leaves are alternate, lower, the flowers are white, yellow or red, collected in umbrellas. The seeds are oblong, 6 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, contain 2.4 - 4.0% essential oil, up to 16% gum. The harvest is harvested approximately 4 months after sowing.

About 35,000 tons of cumin are produced annually.
There are several varieties of cumin:
White cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is the most common.
Black cumin (Cuminum nigrum) is darker and finer than white, has a more bitter taste and pungent odor.
The rarest type of black cumin, which is more correctly called bunium (Buniumpersicum, Buniumbadachshanicum), is found in Tajikistan.

History of the spice cumin (jeera)
Cumin is native to India, the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and Upper Egypt; now it is also grown in Africa, Iran, Turkey, China and the Americas.
Cumin seeds were found in 5000-year-old burials of Ancient Egypt. Aesculapians Ancient Greece and Rome used cumin in the treatment of many diseases, as mentioned in the works of Hippocrates, Dioscorides and Pliny.
In the ancient Arabic book “Wisdom of Ages” there are lines dedicated to cumin: “If you chew cumin with salt and swallow it, excess moisture in the stomach is eliminated. If it is fried and then infused in vinegar, it very strongly fixes the stomach and removes moist substances from it.”
Cumin reached Europe around the 9th century, and was initially incorrectly called caraway (confusion still exists).
The Spanish brought cumin to America, where it became popular.

Dishes with cumin (cumin) spice

Stories with the spice cumin (jeera)

India is considered the birthplace of cumin, where it grows in the gardens of the local population. In nature, it is found only in a few mountainous regions. It is also grown in Afghanistan, Iran, some African countries and eastern Asia.

ZIRA – BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

Jeera is an annual plant with a spindle-like taproot. The stem is erect, quite branched at the base, 20-60 cm high, with sufficient watering it can be up to 120 cm. The branches are well leafy. The foliage is turquoise-green, pinnately dissected. The flowers are small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, they are collected in umbrellas composed of 6-12 rays, the peduncles are long.

Flowering period – June-July.

Ripe cumin seeds have a color from gray-greenish to rich brown. They have 2 seeds, the shape and size resemble celery seeds. They have a specific spicy aroma that resembles thyme and are slightly bitter in taste. The fruits ripen in August-early September. The weight of a thousand semi-fruits is 0.3-0.35 g.

ZIRA: GROWING FEATURES

Iowan is demanding of light; it needs a lot of heat from the moment the stem begins to develop until the end of the growing season. Seeds begin to germinate already at a temperature of 8C. After sowing the seeds, seedlings will appear in 12-18 days. During germination and rosette development, Iowan is resistant to frost.

Zira loves rich nutrients, loose soil. Clay, sandy, swollen and heavy are not suitable for her. The growing season lasts up to 140 days.

PLANTING ZIRA SEEDS

After sowing the seeds, during germination and in the first few weeks of the growing season, azhgon needs abundant watering. During ripening, on the contrary, dry weather is required.

Zira is sown simultaneously with grains - in early spring, when the soil warms up to 10'C. The distance between rows is 45 cm, wide-row sowing. In an area free of weeds and with sufficient moisture, continuous sowing can be used at the beginning of the growing season. For wide-row sowing, the seeding rate is 6 kg/ha, and for continuous sowing – 10 kg/ha.

The seeds are planted to a depth of 2-3 cm - with a sufficient amount of moisture, and if dry weather is expected, then 3-4 cm. Immediately after sowing, the soil is compacted. Shoots appear in 15-20 days.

To speed up their appearance and shorten the growing season, the seeds are fermented. They need to be immersed with the bag in warm water (45 C) for 15 minutes, then immersed in water room temperature for 5 o'clock. After swelling, the seeds are kept for 2-3 days at a temperature of 20-22″C. After the seeds begin to hatch (up to 5%), they are dried to a free-flowing state. Fermentation will help speed up germination by 7-10 days and by several days - the growing season, which on average lasts 130-150 days.

After the emergence of seedlings, when the rows begin to appear, it is necessary to fill the rows and weed them. There is nothing unusual in caring for azhgon; it only requires weeding and loosening the rows.

HARVESTING

Zira ripens unevenly; harvesting begins when 55-60% of the fruits on the central umbels are fully ripe. At this time, on the umbels of the first and second orders, the seeds are in the browning stage. The azhgon is cleaned separately. First, it is mowed into windrows. After a few days, the seeds in the windrows dry to a moisture content of 12%, after which they are threshed.

USES OF ZIRA AND ITS USEFUL PROPERTIES

Zira contains a lot of thymol, which is extracted from essential oil; the largest amount is found in the seeds (12%). It is a transparent, sometimes slightly brown, liquid, has a sharp and harsh taste, smells of thymol, its content in the oil is up to 40%.

Iowan blooms non-simultaneously; there are inflorescences on one stem different periods development.

Composition and physical properties essential oils vary depending on the growing season. But maximum amount essential oil during the milky maturity of the seeds - in umbrellas. The essential oil, which is collected during full flowering, contains a large amount of thymol, a little paraffin with terpinene.

The essential oil obtained from mature seeds contains high amounts of thymol (although thymol content peaks during milk maturity). It also contains paraffin, dipantene, carvarol, glycerides and up to 17% protein.

Thanks to the possession pungent taste and smell, cumin seeds are used in cooking as a spice or seasoning. In India, the seeds are added to curry seasoning ingredients and used in cooking vegetable dishes. Africans love to season meat dishes with cumin.

In Central Asian countries, only seeds are used for cooking. In Kyrgyzstan, azhgon is used to fry meat with vegetables, season sauces with it, and marinate meat. Uzbeks use azhgon when preparing soups, main courses, cold appetizers, and baked goods. In Turkey, ajovan is added to fish, meat, and porridge. And also, not a single pilaf is complete without fragrant azhgon.

Ajgon fruits have many pronounced medicinal properties.

The essential oil from the seeds contains thymol. It has pronounced antiseptic, wound-healing, and antihistamine properties; it is used in dentistry. In India, it is used as a diuretic and also for stomach pain and colic. To obtain essential oil from ajgon fruits, you need to steam distill the crushed fruits. The main product obtained from essential oil is thymol.

It is extracted from the oil using a solution of sodium hydroxide. In this case, a mixture of terpenes is separated and used in soap making as a fragrance. And the waste is used as animal feed. Try growing this wonderful spice. And you can get its seeds at points where they sell spices.

True, such seeds are not always viable (like all celery seeds, cumin quickly loses its viability - within a year), so choose those that smell the most, take from different batches and sow in pots of flowers for testing.