2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Many housewives believe that zira and cumin are one and the same. Is it true? In this article, we will study this issue in detail: we will tell you what spices such as zira and cumin are, how they differ (photos of each spice will be presented below) and where they are used.
Queen of Oriental spices
Zira is a plant belonging to the small genus Kmin of the umbrella family. Quite often, this spice is called Roman cumin, or cumin. According to many, zira and cumin are one and the same, but this is far from being the case. They really look very similar, but the taste of these spices is completely different. The birthplace of zira is considered to be Central Asia. As a spice, it has long been used in ancient India, Greece, Rome, as well as the countries of the Middle East. The Greeks and Romans used cumin for healing - there are references to this in the works of Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides.
There are several types of zira with different tastes and aromas. The most commonPersian and Kirman cumin are considered. Zira has a sharp taste and a bright aroma with nutty notes.
Description of cumin
One of the oldest plants found in the piled buildings of the Stone Age is cumin. In our state, this plant is found in meadows, along roadways, along the edges, almost anywhere. This spicy plant belongs to the celery family. In the first year of life, a fleshy, slightly branched root crop and a rosette of pinnate leaves are formed, in the second year, a branched stem is thrown out, the height of which can reach 90 centimeters. Cumin blooms in July. The fruits are elongated two-seedlings. Seeds are small, ribbed. Young leaves contain about 45% ascorbic acid, and roots accumulate sugar.
Black cumin grows in the Caucasus, the Balkan Peninsula, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. This spice is often perceived as zira. What is the difference between oriental spice and black cumin, we will try to find out. Both spices have a sharp smell and a bitter taste, but the taste characteristics are noticeably different, which is why they are used in different ways in cooking. Not a single oriental pilaf is complete without the addition of cumin, in addition, it is often present in meat dishes, sausages and cheeses. Black cumin is mainly used as a spice in confectionery, drinks, and to flavor pickles.
Zira and cumin: thandiffer in chemical composition
Cumin seeds contain about 20% fatty oil, from 2.5 to 4% essential oils (which include cumaldehyde, cymol, paracymol, kymin and carvone), 10-15% proteins, no more than 16 % gum, as well as flavonoids, cumic alcohol, alpha- and beta-pinins, tannins, B vitamins, dipentene, beta-phellandrene, ascorbic acid, perylaldehyde, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other minerals.
The composition of cumin seeds includes flavonoids, fatty and essential oils, protein compounds, coumarins, minerals and tannins. The essential oil contains limonene, carvone and carvacrol (it is thanks to this substance that a special aroma appears). Cumin roots accumulate a large amount of ascorbic acid.
Useful properties of spices
As you can see in the photo, zira and cumin are very similar in appearance. How are these spices different? properties. Regular use of cumin helps in the fight against insomnia, amnesia, nervous exhaustion, migraine, stomach cramps, dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, bronchitis, cholelithiasis and kidney stones, cough. The benefits of Zira do not end there. This oriental spice normalizes digestion, prevents thrombosis, protects the body from heart attacks, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, improves vision and brain activity.
Zira has a tonic, diuretic and antiseptic effect, enhances sexual desire, removes toxins from the body. Cumin - lifesaver onfirst months of pregnancy: relieves nausea and prevents bloating. Pediatricians treat children's flatulence with the help of zira, and the Greeks make medicinal children's tea from it.
Cumin fruits are also widely used in medicine (used to treat headaches, pneumonia and bronchitis). The spice is considered a good antiseptic. It has cumin and antihelminthic properties. Essential oil improves digestion, suppresses fermentation processes, normalizes bile secretion, relaxes smooth muscles, and also has a sedative effect. Spice seeds are recommended for use in flatulence, urinary tract pathology, constipation and intestinal atony.
Familiarizing yourself with the beneficial properties of such popular spices as cumin and cumin (we have already found out what is the difference between outwardly similar plants), you can not only add an unusual aroma to dishes, but also improve your he alth.
Contraindications for use
And is everyone allowed to eat such he althy seasonings as zira and cumin? How they differ, we have already figured out. Let's talk about the cases in which it is recommended to abandon the use of these spices. Thus, the use of cumin is contraindicated in gastritis with high acidity, duodenal ulcer and stomach ulcers.
People with a weak heart should stop eating meat and fish dishes flavored with cumin, as the likelihood of a heart attack increases. Spice is not recommended for high aciditydigestive juice produced by the stomach, and with anemia. Cumin is contraindicated in thrombophlebitis and thrombosis. Seeds consumed in large quantities can lead to rejection of organ transplants.
Application
Cumin fruits are used to obtain essential oil, young shoots are added to salads, soups and pates. Today it is one of the most popular spices that are used to flavor confectionery, alcoholic beverages, marinades, sauces and canned food. Essential oil has been used in cosmetology and medicine.
Zira seeds in cooking can be used both whole and ground. In India, cumin is added to vegetable dishes, in Greece, Simir sausages are cooked with this seasoning, in Uzbekistan - pilaf, various soups, cold appetizers, in Kyrgyzstan - marinades and sauces, in Armenia - dry-cured sausage sujuk.
Beginner cooks after reading this material will be able to safely answer the questions: “What are zira and cumin used for? How are these spices different and what are their beneficial properties?
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