Cumin (Jeera)

Text: Indian Culture · Reviewed by Savin Kumar Kapoor on 6 October 2026

Published · updated

Cumin, jira or jeera in Hindi, is a different spice from caraway.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Fried whole in hot fat, it goes into almost every tarka.3,8,9

Also known as Kreuzkümmel, Cumin seeds, Zeera

Cumin, jira or jeera in Hindi, is the dried fruit of Cuminum cyminum, a plant of the parsley family; it is usually called a seed.1,3,5,6,10,11,12 It is not the same as caraway, Carum carvi, although the names are often confused.2,3,4,13 It smells strong and tastes warm, and frying or roasting brings out the aroma.1,3,11 Especially in North India, the whole seeds are fried briefly in hot ghee or oil until they crackle; cumin goes into almost every tarka.3,8,9 Ground, it goes into garam masala and curry powder; ground cumin is added to the fat only after the onions, or it burns.1,3,14 The TRS Cumin Seeds pack lists only whole cumin seeds.7

Are cumin and jeera the same?

Yes: jīrā, often spelled jeera, is the Hindi word for cumin. It goes back to Sanskrit jīraka.3,5,6,7

What is cumin most used for?

In India the whole seeds are fried briefly in hot ghee or oil, at the start of a dish or as a tarka, and ground cumin goes into garam masala and curry powder. It is also popular in North African and Latin American cooking.1,3,8,9,14

Recipes with Cumin (Jeera)

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Sources

  1. Britannica Editors. (2026). cumin. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  2. Britannica Editors. (2026). caraway. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  3. Katzer, G. (n.d.). Kreuzkümmel (Cuminum cyminum, Kumin). Gernot Katzers Gewürzseiten. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  4. Katzer, G. (n.d.). Kümmel (Carum carvi). Gernot Katzers Gewürzseiten. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  5. Platts, J. T. (1884). jīrā. In A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English (p. 413). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  6. Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. (n.d.). jīrā. In The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary (p. 375). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  7. Indian Culture: TRS Cumin Seeds (Jeera): ingredients on the pack.
  8. Bhide, M. (2011). The Crackling Spices Of Indian Tempering. NPR, Kitchen Window. NPR.
  9. Seow, S. (2021). Tadka: The simple Indian cooking technique you should know. SBS Food. Special Broadcasting Service.
  10. Davidson, A. (2014). cumin seed. In The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.
  11. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). cumin. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  12. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). cumin. In Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  13. Cornelsen Verlag. (n.d.). Kreuzkümmel. In Duden online. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  14. Davidson, A. (2014). curry powder. In The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.

Cite this entry

MLA

“Cumin (Jeera).” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/cumin.

Chicago

Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Cumin (Jeera),” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/cumin.

APA

Indian Culture. (n.d.). Cumin (Jeera). In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/cumin