Jeera [zira] n. Hindi for the spice cumin
Learning to cook authentic Indian food can be a dizzyingly confusing experience. I've stared for far too long at the spice shelves in my local Indian grocery, trying to match the Indian name for a spice with something familiar.
Jeera was one that I needed to decipher quickly. Many recipes I wanted to try called for it, and it didn't take long to realize that cumin - that toasty spice with a slight citrus tang, familiar from Latin American cuisine - was the same thing. Regular white cumin and the more floral black cumin, known as shah jeera, are extremely ancient spices; references to them are found in the Old Testament and in Greek literature.
Cumin is used quite a lot in much Indian cooking, and it's one of the basic building blocks of almost every curry powder and masala. I've grown to appreciate it for its texture as well as its flavor, too. When used whole, and "spluttered" briefly in oil before adding the meat, it gives a tiny crunch with a pleasant explosion of warm spice.
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There is no concept called "curry powder" in indian cuisine - it is a term coined by the english and the americans - or should i say by one of them - are they different - americans are nouveau english. aren't they?
Faith, thought you might find this link useful. Provides Hindi and English names for many Indian spices and ingredients.
Cumin powder, lightly toasted and then powdered, is also very useful to keep handy. It's especially useful in garnishing 'raitas' as well as in snacks such as 'chaats'.
Jeera (cumin) is more commonly used in North Indian cooking, so much so that it's a staple in ever kitchen. Though used a good bit in the South and East parts of India, it's not as prevalent. Other spices (?) such as mustard take precedence.
Interesting, an indian friend gave me some jeera the other day that he bought back to the US from a trip home, let's skip the legal implications if any, please :) However I have cumin that came in a spice rack i purchased and did not realize they are the same spice. I cooked with the Jeera the other night and it was delish...