Cumin is harvested from the herb Cuminum Cyminum. This spice has a distinctive aromatic odor and a slightly warm taste. Cumin Spice heavily used in the Indian cuisine, and it's also a popular seasoning in the recipes of the southwestern U.S.

Historically, Iran has been the principal supplier of cumin, but currently the major sources are India, Sri Lanka, Syria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

As a general rule interpret cumin as jeera or zeera (jira, zira). Generally Cumin seeds are lightly roasted before being used whole or ground to bring out the aroma. Sometimes we can find Cumin mixed with the  other spcies such as. This spice should be used with care as too much can exclude all the other flavours in a dish. Cumin is used mainly where highly spiced foods are preferred.

Cumin Spice is an ingredient of most curry powders and is used in curries, stews, grills, lamb and chicken dishes. Jeera Chicken and Jeera Rice are widely available in Indian Restaurants. Zeera pani is a refreshing and appetising Indian drink made from cumin and tamarind water. Most of the Indian Curry Dishes use cumin to add flavour.

It is believed that Cumin has medicinal properties. It is stomachic, diuretic and antispasmodic. It is valuable in dyspepsia diarrhoea and hoarseness, and may relieve flatulence and colic. It can be added to plain yogurt and taked while sufferring from diarrhoea. It remains a traditional herbal remedy in the East. It is supposed to increase lactation and reduce nausea in pregnancy. It has been shown to be effective in treating indigestion and morning sickness. Cumin also shows promise as a natural way to increase breast size.

Today, cumin is identified with Indian, Tex-Mex, Cuban and Northern Mexican cuisine. It is one of the main ingredients of curry powder. Cumin can be found in some Dutch cheeses like Leyden cheese, and in some traditional breads from France.