In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “What is comino spice?”. We will also discuss the English name of comino spice, what it is used for, and its uses in cooking. Moreover, we will also talk about how we can make ground comino at home and what other spices can be used in place of comino.
What is comino spice?
Comino spice is the Spanish name for cumin spice. Comino or cumin is a spice that is made from the dried seed of a plant known as Cuminum cyminum.
It is one of the most popular spices used all over the globe. It is one of the staple spices found in everyone’s kitchen cupboard. It can be available in both whole seeds as well as ground forms in the market.
What is comino called in English?
The English name for comino spice is cumin. Cumin seeds are long and boat-shaped and look a lot like caraway seeds. Likewise, ground comino is the ground or powdered form of roasted comino seeds also known as ground cumin or cumin powder in English.
What is comino spice used for?
Comino or cumin is a versatile spice that is widely used in the culinary world as well as for medicinal purposes. It is a staple spice used for varieties of dishes including soups, stews, curries, pickles, sauces, bakeries, etc.
Cumin has a warm and earthy flavor and aroma with a hint of bitterness. So make sure to use just the right amount of cumin so your dish doesn’t turn out to be bitter.
How is comino used in cooking?
- Ground cumin or crushed cumin seeds are often used in spice rubs and marinades for flavorful barbequed chicken, pork, and beef. You can also use it on vegetables like potatoes, mushrooms, and bell peppers.
- No salad is complete without a hint of comino. It brings out the flavors in even dull recipes.
- Tempering the cumin seeds in hot oil gives extra flavors while making any kind of curries and stews.
- Cumin is a must in any kind of chutneys and pickles. Home crushed cumin seeds are a better choice than ground cumin for this.
- It is used in almost every recipe that involves chilies including hot chili oil.
- Adding cumin seeds to your rice brings out unique flavors and fragrances to the rice. It’s also commonly called jeera rice.
- They are also used in making flavored bread and other bakery items.
How can we make comino powder at home?
Comino powder or cumin powder can be easily made at home from coriander seeds. But of course, if you think it’s too much work, you can always get your ground cumin from the local supermarket. Let us discuss the process of making comino powder at home:
- Heat a pan at medium heat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the cumin seeds to the heated pan and roast them until they are completely dry and darker in color. Stir them continuously for about 5 minutes. You can determine when the seeds are roasted from their fragrance.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the seeds to a plate and let it cool for 20 minutes.
- Now that the seeds are completely cooled, it’s time to grind the roasted seeds. Use a spice grinder to grind them. Make sure you shake the grinder a few times to ensure that the seeds are finely ground.
- Transfer the ground cumin to an airtight container and store it in a cool place for longer storage.
What other spices can we use in place of comino spice?
Whole coriander or ground coriander
Coriander is the seed of the Cilantro plant which comes from the same family as the cumin Parsley family. Like cumin, it has an earthy flavor but coriander is milder than cumin in terms of its smokiness. Use half the amount of cumin when adding to your recipe.
Curry Powder
Curry powder is a spice blend that typically contains turmeric, chili powder, cumin, and fenugreek. This option maintains the flavor the same but adds more heat and a darker, reddish hue.
Caraway seeds
Caraway seeds are another member of the same family. This may be the reason why it’s almost identical to cumin seeds. Although it gives a similar flavor to cumin its taste isn’t as strong as cumin.
Fennel seeds
Yet another member of the Parsley family. They have a slightly lesser earthy taste in comparison to cumin so add slightly more to your recipe when substituting. For the differences between fennel and comino seeds, please click the link here.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have answered the query, “What is comino spice?”. We have also discussed the English name of comino spice, what it is used for, and its uses in cooking. Moreover, we have also talked about how we can make ground comino at home and what other spices can be used in place of comino.
