Medical Tourism:
Kitchen Confidential

By Bryan Francis

Not Just Seasoning

A well-known home remedy for various ailments, cumin adds a distinctive touch to your food.

Cumin, the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, and a member of the parsley family has had a slightly chequered history. Pungent, powerful, sharp and slightly bitter, the spice has been employed in the kitchens since ancient times; it has been dated to the second millennium BC (seeds were, excavated at the Syrian site Tell ed-Der) and has also surfaced at several ancient Epytian archaeological sites.

A native of Iran and the Mediterranean region cumin has also found mention in the Bible; both the Old testament (Isaiah 28:27) and the new testament (Matthew 23:23). It is also mentioned in the works of Hippocrates and Dioscorides. Pliny wrote that the ancients 'took the ground seed medicinally with bread, water or wine'. The seeds of the cumin when smoked, were found to bring colour to the face, hence the expression of Horace, exsangue cuminum, and Pliny also tells us that the followers of the celebrated rhetorician Porcius Latro used it to induce the right complexion for studying.

Classically, cumin symbolised greed; thus the avaricious Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, came to be known privately as 'Cuminus'. Interestingly though in Italian cuisine cumin has little use, it is called 'Roman caraway' in many European languages. These names refer to the fact that cumin became known in Northern Europe, like many other plants of more Southern origin, only as a result of Charlemagne's herb edicts. Thus, cumin was viewed as a 'Mediterranean' or 'Italian' type of the native caraway.

The spice also flavoured the food in ancient Greece and Rome. The Greeks kept cumin at the dining table in its own container, a practice still common in Morocco. The spice eventually spread to Asia where it is used liberally in the Indian sub-continent as also in Thailand. It also plays a major role in Vietnamese cuisine.

According to a folklore (in the Middle ages), cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering. It was also believed that a happy life awaited the bride and groom who carried cumin seed throughout the wedding ceremony. Yet it fell out of favour in Europe except in Spain and Malta during the Middle Ages. But it is once again making a place for itself on the kitchen shelf thanks to chefs dabbling in nouveau versions of established cuisines.

Medicinal Uses
Cumin is stomachic, diuretic, carminative, stimulant, astringent, emmenagogic and anti-spasmodic. It is said to help in case of diarrhoea and hoarseness, and may relieve flatulence and colic. In the West, it is now used mainly in veterinary medicine, as a carminative, but it remains a traditional herbal remedy in the East. It is supposed to increase lactation and reduce nausea in pregnancy. It has been shown to be effective with indigestion and morning sickness. It also stimulates the appetite. When added to hot milk it is said to be an effective treatment for the common cold. In Chinese herbal medicine, cumin is commonly referred to as xiao hui xiang "little fennel".

Culinary Uses
Cumin is used mainly in countries where highly spiced foods are preferred. It features in Indian, Eastern, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish cuisines. It is found in most curry powders and spice mixtures, and is used in stews, grills – especially lamb – and chicken dishes. It gives bite to plain rice, and to beans and cakes. Small amounts can be usefully used in aubergine and kidney bean dishes. Cumin is the essential spice in Mexican foods such as chile con carne, casseroled pork and enchiladas with chili sauce. In Europe, cumin flavours certain Portuguese sausages, and is used to spice cheese, especially Dutch Leyden and German Munster, and also used to smoke cheeses and meats. It is a pickling ingredient for cabbage and sauerkraut, and is used in chutneys. In the Middle East, it is a familiar spice for fish dishes, grills and stews and flavours couscous – semolina steamed over meat and vegetables, the national dish of Morocco. Zeera pani is a refreshing and appetising Indian drink made from cumin and tamarind water. Cumin together with caraway flavours kummel, the famous German liqueur.

Getting Started
Try ground cumin added to tangy lime or lemon-based marinades for chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork. Or, add cumin to chili, spicy meat stews, barbecue marinades, and sauces. Stir toasted cumin into corn muffin batter. Heat Cumin and garlic in olive oil and drizzle over cooked vegetables or potatoes. Bear in mind ground cumin is stronger than whole seeds and the flavour is accentuated by toasting.

Medical Tourism:Kitchen Confidential

Medical Tourism:
Kitchen Confidential