Zira (Cumin)
Spices and herbsAn essential componentUzbek pilaf - zira - looks like caraway. But its seeds are smaller, and the aroma is sharper and more spicy, which intensifies when the seeds are ground or fried. The taste is spicy, quite sharp and hot. The second name of this spice comes from the name of the small island of Kumino in the Maltese archipelago. Well known since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome, cumin was the most ordinary spice in Europe until the 14th century, when it was replaced by caraway. Now zira can be found in France, Spain and Portugal, mainly in rice and vegetable dishes. Where they have an enduring love for this spice is in North Africa, Asia and Latin America. Mexican sauces, soups and the famous can not do without ground zira seeds. In Morocco, Turkey and Algeria, cumin is added to couscous, dishes of lamb, rice, beans, fish, chicken, eggplant and other vegetables. Indian cooks always add cumin to curry. Where to add it: to pilaf, other rice-based dishes, minced meat, lamb, beans, fish, chicken, vegetable dishes, as well as couscous, chili con carne, lula kebab, curry. Tip: To fully release the aroma of cumin, first grind the seeds in a mortar or fry them in a dry frying pan. Indian cooks also fry cumin seeds in oil together with onions.
