Kitchen Spice

Cumin

SanskritJirakaBotanicalCuminum cyminumAlso calledJeera

An earthy, nutty seed whose Sanskrit name, jiraka, is linked to the idea of helping food digest. A staple of the Ayurvedic kitchen.

Cumin, seed

Toast a spoonful of cumin seeds in hot ghee and within seconds the kitchen smells like home. That sizzle, called a tadka or tempering, is how cumin starts most Ayurvedic meals.

The Sanskrit name jiraka is often explained as "that which helps digestion." Cumin is one of the three seeds in CCF tea and a backbone of kitchari, valued for helping the body take in nourishment while keeping heaviness and gas at bay.

Ayurvedic Properties

RasaTastes
  • Pungent
  • Bitter
ViryaHeating or cooling
Heating
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Kindles agni

Warming and aromatic, it kindles digestion and eases heaviness after meals.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Dry
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases
  • Pitta: decreases, in moderation
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Cumin is gentle enough that many teachers call it tridoshic. It warms vata and lightens kapha, and pitta types usually do well with it in normal cooking amounts.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support comfortable digestion and ease gas and bloating.
  • Traditionally used to support the absorption of nourishment from food.
  • Traditionally used to support a balanced appetite.
  • Traditionally used to support Ayurveda's idea of clearing ama, the sticky residue of incomplete digestion.

How People Use It

  • FoodSizzle whole seeds in ghee or oil until they darken a shade and smell nutty, then pour over dal, rice or vegetables.
  • TeaSimmer 1 teaspoon of whole seeds in 2 cups of water for about 5 minutes for a mild after-meal tea, or use it in CCF tea.
  • PowderDry roast the seeds, grind them, and sprinkle a pinch over yogurt, buttermilk or roasted vegetables.
Try This

Cumin Ghee Tadka

The two minute tempering that turns plain dal into dinner.

  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • 1 small pinch of hing (asafoetida), optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  1. Warm the ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle and turn a shade darker, add the hing and ginger.
  3. Stir for about 20 seconds, until fragrant. Do not let the seeds burn.
  4. Pour the hot tadka over a pot of cooked dal or kitchari and stir it in.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Cumin in normal cooking amounts is generally considered safe. These cautions apply to larger, concentrated amounts such as supplements or extracts.
  • Safety research on concentrated cumin is limited, and major U.S. health references (NCCIH, Memorial Sloan Kettering) do not have a cumin monograph.
  • During pregnancy and breastfeeding, keep to food amounts unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise.
  • If you take any medication or have a health condition, check with your doctor before using cumin in more than culinary amounts.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using cumin therapeutically.

In Our Shop

Organic Cumin Seed

Organic Cumin Seed, from $4.25. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

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From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.