cumin
n. uncountablen. a spice made from the dried seeds of a small plant. It has a strong, warm smell and is used in many dishes from India, Mexico, and the Middle East.
n. the aromatic seeds of a plant in the parsley family, used whole or ground as a culinary spice. Frequently associated with the flavour profiles of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American cuisines.
I always add a teaspoon of cumin to my chili.
The recipe calls for toasted cumin seeds to give the sauce a deeper, earthier flavour.
While many associate the spice with heat, cumin actually provides a warm, nutty foundation that balances the sharper notes of coriander and turmeric in traditional curry blends.
From Middle English comyn, from Old English cymen (which is cognate with Old High German kumin) and Old French cummin, both from Latin cuminum, from Ancient Greek κύμινον (kúminon), a Semitic borrowing ultimately to be traced to Akkadian 𒂵𒈬𒉡 (Ú.GAMUN /kamūnu/, “cumin”). Possibly related to caraway.
Uncountable when referring to the spice in general; countable only when referring to the botanical species or specific varieties.