There are certain spice blends that I fix and keep on hand as I use them frequently. One of them is toasted cumin. This aromatic spice adds a unique flavor to a dish. It is easy to fix and used as a topping in many dishes such as your raitas (yogurt relishes), chaats (street food), dals (lentils), and sabzi( sautéed vegetables). It is also added to some curries, tikkas, and kebabs.
Easy to fix, you can store it for several months.
Bhuna Jeera (Roasted Cumin Powder)
A flavorful topping used in raitas (yogurt relishes),dals (lentils), sabzi (vegetables), it may also added to curries, tikkas, and kebabs.
Ingredients
- ½ cup cumin seeds
Instructions
- Pick and clean your cumin seeds on a light-colored plate, as this shows dirt particles better, making cleaning easier.
- Once cleaned, set aside the cumin seeds.
- Heat your tava (Indian griddle) or a heavy-bottomed skillet on low-medium heat.
- Add the cumin seeds to the dry pan. Toast the seeds, stirring continuously for approximately 2 minutes until fragrant and the seeds are a shade darker.
- Important: Do not over-brown, as this will give the seeds a burnt taste.
- Pour into a bowl and cool completely.
- Place the seeds in a spice or coffee grinder/blender and blend to a fine powder.
- You can also use a pestle and mortar if you don't have a coffee grinder/blender. Grind to a fine powder.
- Store the powder in a clean, dry glass bottle with a tight lid.
Notes
