Cumin Substitute

Cumin is a flowering plant, which has been grown as a spice, since time immemorial. It belongs to the Apiaceae family and is a native to the eastern Mediterranean region and also around the east of India. For this plant to grow well, it requires hot and arid climate. The flowers of this flowering plant are either white or pink and are small in size. It produces tiny compressed fruit that contains single seed, which is very similar to fennel, but it is smaller in size and also a little darker in color. People who do not like the distinctive aroma of cumin, look for cumin substitute.

A Little About Cumin
It is the distinctive aroma of cumin, which adds spice to the dishes that are being cooked. It is the concentration of oil compounds present in cumin seeds, which are responsible for the aroma. The natural sweetness of cumin also compliments the natural sweetness of a dish. It is commonly used in North African, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Indian and Asian cuisine. Cumin powder is one of the common ingredients in curry powder. Cumin is hotter in taste as compared to caraway and has a sharp and slightly bittersweet taste. Ground cumin is more commonly used in Indian and Mexican dishes. It is very commonly used to make salsas. It also makes for a great accompaniment to chili and enchiladas and not to forget flavorful seasoning to ground meat. Cumin can also be used to spice up plain rice and breads as well. There are a number of cumin benefits as well. It is often used as a stimulant and an antispasmodic. It is also used in treating nausea, diarrhea as well as morning sickness. You may want to read on cumin tea benefits.

Cumin Substitute
There are various cumin alternatives, that people use, however, you will have to remember, that the cumin seeds substitute may not be able to substitute the taste, that cumin can lend to a dish. One of the most commonly used substitute for cumin are the coriander seeds. You will have to use half the amount of cumin prescribed in the recipe. Alternately, you can roast the cumin seeds slightly before you use it in the dishes. After the seeds have been roasted, they certainly do taste much more delicious and have a different aroma as compared to un-roasted cumin. Often people ground cumin seeds without roasting them, it therefore has a strong aroma. You can use roasted ground cumin as a ground cumin substitute. Do you want to read on cumin seeds vs ground cumin.

Caraway seeds also make for great alternative to cumin seeds. However, like is the case with coriander seeds, you will use only half the quantity of caraway seeds, as mentioned in the recipes. Anise seeds can also be used as cumin substitute. Chili powder often is also used to substitute cumin seeds. An alternative is to combine caraway and anise seeds to substitute cumin seeds in the recipe. If you want to substitute amber cumin seeds, then you can use white cumin seeds. On the other hand to substitute black cumin seeds, you can use amber cumin seeds. Chipotle is another alternative, which can be tried as a cumin substitution.

I combine one part caraway seeds, one part anise seeds and one part cumin seeds as a cumin substitute. This makes for a good combination and yet is able to come close the aroma and flavor of cumin, however, I would like to add that nothing can really be able to give the aroma, very typical of cumin seeds.