Roasted cumin powder or bhuna jeera is prepared by dry roasting cumin seeds & then grinding them to a fine powder. Learn how to make roasted jeera powder at home easily.
Ground cumin is very nutritious and has so many medicinal benefits. Check Chai masala, homemade spice mix I made using cumin seeds.
This homemade ground cumin is added in curry or gravy dishes, Buttermilk, dahi vada, or in raita.
Growing up in India I remember eating jeera aloo (cumin flavored potatoes) & jeera rice often in a week duration. Both are seasoned with cumin seeds and taste amazing.
Masala chaas is another summer drink popular in India which is never complete without roasted cumin powder. It is a must-have ingredient to the buttermilk drink.
No raita recipe is complete without bhuna jeera (jeera powder).
Cumin seeds or Jeera
Jeera or cumin is one of the essential ingredients in the Indian kitchen. You can read about it here in more detail.
It is used in almost all savory dishes and even allowed in fasting days. Cumin seed is mild in flavor while roasting makes them more aromatic & flavorful.
It has a warn earthy flavor and a distinct aroma. In India, many of the dishes are incomplete without jeera tadka or “cumin tempering“.
In Indian cuisine cumin seeds are the first ingredient to be added while making curries, stir fry. Once added in hot oil, they infused the oil with their flavors & aroma.
You can store cumin seeds in nice cool place in an air tight container. If you plan to store for a longer duration then do freeze them. Freezing preserve their aroma & flavors.
They are used as whole or in ground form.
Health benefits of cumin
Cumin is well known for its digestive properties. It helps in indigestion and regulates it. Known as one of the rich sources of Iron as well.
It is often given to lactating mothers as it increases milk supply.
This homemade jeera powder cures insomnia, asthma, cancer, fight with colds, and very food for the skin.
It helps in promoting weight loss too, you can read more about the benefits of cumin here. Make cumin water or cumin tea which helps in weight loss.
Cumin water benefits
Drinking cumin water on regular basis has many benefits
- Helps in flushing out toxins from the body.
- Improve digestion
- Best for lactating mother, as it increases lactation
- Boost immunity & controls blood pressure
- If taken on a regular basis helps in glowing skin.
What is cumin powder(ground cumin)
Ground cumin or cumin powder is prepared by grinding cumin seeds only. But both have their different ways to use and flavors.
Cumin seeds releases flavors & aroma when added in hot oil or butter. On the other hand jeera powder mix with other ingredients and enhances taste.
Roasted Cumin Powder
It is also known as bhuna jeera powder and prepared by dry roasting cumin seeds, followed by grinding.
Adding roasted cumin powder in any of the dish simply makes it more flavorful. There is no need to add it in hot oil or butter as cumin seeds.
Roasting makes them aromatic and it works well while mixing in any recipe.
Ingredients
Please check RECIPE CARD for detailed ingredients list with accurate measurement.
This is one of the DIY ‘Do It Yourself‘ post, almost every Indian kitchen make this bhuna jeera powder at home.
You need Cumin seeds or Jeera to start the process of making cumin powder.
How to make roasted jeera powder
Making roasted jeera powder at home is very easy, you just need one ingredient, and a few minutes and that’s all.
I remember my mother used to roast 1-2 tsp cumin seeds on hot griddle and used a rolling pin to beat them.
Let see how to make this homemade roasted cumin powder or ground cumin step by step.
Step-1 Dry Roast cumin seeds
First of all, check there is not any dirt particles in cumin seeds.
Take a wide heavy bottom pan or Kadai, add cumin seeds and roast them on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
They changes color to dark brown during roasting. Don’t overdo it.
Two minutes are good enough to roast cumin seeds. They turn bitter in taste if roast for more time.
Step-2 Cool down & Grind
Once cumin is roasted, transfer them to a wide plate and let them cool down.
Grind them in a food processor to a fine powder.
Be sure ground cumin is at room temperature before storing in a container.
What cumin used for
Adding roasted jeera powder to any dish definitely gives a boost in tastes and flavors. It is one of the essential spice in every Indian pantry.
The aroma & freshness of homemade ground cumin can not be replaced by store-bought cumin powder.
- In Indian food, it is best used in Masala Chaas or buttermilk, Moong Dal Dahi Vada, & Indian Raita Recipes.
- Sprinkling over salads like kala chana salad enhances the taste altogether.
- Palak paneer, Sarson ka saag, Aloo Matar, Gajar Matar, are some of the curries cumin is used for.
- Using in shikanji makes this summer drink more lip-smacking.
- Vrat ka dahi vada, Vrat ki aloo chat & Vrat ki chutneys are prepared using cumin.
- Cumin cookies(biscuit), Jeera aloo, Jeera rice are other recipes where cumin is the star ingredient.
- One of the star ingredients in other spice mixes like Raita Masala, Chat Masala, Dahi Vada (bara) Masala, & Shikanji Masala.
- Making cumin water & cumin tea. Cumin tea is considered to be helpful in weight loss.
Storing suggestions
After grinding let the cumin powder cool down and come at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature and keep it on the kitchen shelf. It stays fresh for 1-2 months.
Making homemade spices is a very easy process and you can always make in small batches and store. You do not need to store in a big batch.
Tips & FAQ’s
- Always make sure hands are dry and clean while using ground cumin from containers. Use a clean and dry spoon.
- Roasted Cumin powder tastes best with its fresh flavors. Make is small batches as per the use. The big batch may lose the freshness & taste.
- It stays fresh for months while using it carefully.
- Cooling down is one of the important factors before storing. Else moisture will settle in and spoil it later on.
- Dry roast them on low-medium heat and keep stirring. They tend to burn easily.
Grinding normal cumin seeds result in normal cumin powder. This is mild in flavors as cumin seeds. When you roast these on mild heat, they change color to dark brown. After cooling down grind these and you will get roasted cumin powder.
Roasted cumin seeds (bhuna jeera) is more aromatic than unroasted cumin seeds and strong in flavors. Almost all raita recipes use this bhuna jeera powder.
Mixer grinder with small jars or any food processor having a small jar is good enough to make roasted cumin powder.
Cumin is very delicate to handle overheat. It has a tendency to burn fast if on high heat. Make sure to dry roast cumin seeds on low-high heat.
Also, use a heavy Kadai or skillet for dry roasting.
Cumin powder is prepared from cumin seeds, but both have their different usage and qualities.
Grund cumin enhances the taste & flavours completely as it mingles well with other spices. Cumin seeds are the base of Indian Tadka and burst into flavour when it comes in your mouth.
Jeera water is nothing but cumin infused water. Adding sugar or honey makes it cumin tea.
To make cumin water or jeera water, boil 1 cup of water with 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Boil for 2 minutes and then strain it. You can sip it as is or let it cool down and then drink.
If you want to make cumin tea, first boil 1 cup of water with 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Add 1 tsp of sugar or honey & strain it.
First, dry roast them on medium heat in a heavy bottom pan. Let them cool down completely. Use a hard surface, the kitchen counter is best. Just spread the roasted cumin and use a rolling pin to crush them again n again until they turn into powder.
This method is perfect for any time you want to make roasted jeera at home. store in an airtight container so that you do not lose its aroma & freshness.
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Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cumin seed
Instructions
- First of all, check there is not any dirt particles in cumin seeds.
- Take a wide heavy bottom pan or Kadai, add cumin seeds and roast them on medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
- They changes color to dark brown during roasting. Don’t overdo it.
- Two minutes are good enough to roast cumin seeds. They turn bitter in taste if roast for more time.
- Once cumin is roasted, transfer them to a wide plate and let them cool down.Grind them in a food processor to a fine powder.
- Be sure ground cumin is at room temperature before storing in a container.
Notes
- Always make sure hands are dry and clean while using ground cumin from containers. Use a clean and dry spoon.
- Roasted Cumin powder tastes best with its fresh flavors. Make is small batches as per the use. The big batch may lose the freshness & taste.
- It stays fresh for months while using it carefully.
- Cooling down is one of the important factors before storing.
Nutrition
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Saif
I use cumin in most of my middle eastern and asian dishes. I definitely need to learn this when making one. Thanks
Priya Lakshminarayan
I love making cumin powder at home..it’s so much better than store-bought spices.
Julia
I am definitely trying out this roasted cumin powder. Love using cumin in my cuisine, but never though of roasting it! Great idea, thank you for sharing!
Bhawana
Yeah, do try, I am sure you will love it.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
Wait.. I had no idea you could make this at home! This is genius!!! Bookmarked for later, thanks for this!!
Bhawana
I hope you can make now. Thanks for liking.
rika
I love cumin, never had it roasted! It looks so fragrant, and good on any recipes.
Michelle
Wow! I had no idea you could even do this but ground cumin is so much better homemade
Jill
I always add cumin to my chili recipes. But I had no idea it had so many other benefits. And I’ve never roasted it before. You’ve convinced me I need to!
Alexandra
I use cumin powder a lot, so I was really pleased to learn how to make my own powder. I will be doing this from now on – thank you!
cyndy
I love the idea of making my own roasted cumin powder instead of buying it. Thank you for the detailed instructions. I also like the idea of cumin infused water!
Anita
It is so worth the extra effort to roast whole spice and then grind it yourself. The flavor is just outstanding.
Jacqueline Meldrum
I use cumin on a lot of dishes. I’ll have to try roasting it like this to see how different the flavour is. I’m liking the sound of those cumin potatoes too. Do you have a recipe?
Bhawana
Thanks, Jacqueline, I am about to post the recipe of cumin potatoes. Will inform you back.
Adrianne
What a great original recipe! I use cumin all the time but have never thought to grind my own. Can’t wait to try it and love how you explain all the ways it can be used.
Bhawana
Thanks, Adrianne, yes, roasted cumin is worth trying :).
Dannii
Cumin is one of my favourite spices. This has so many uses.
Kara
I love cumin! Dry roasting and grinding spices are the best way to really amp up the flavor in any dish. I also like to use this method for fennel seed, black peppercorns, and coriander.
Shanna
This is such a fun idea. I have always wanted to roast my own spices, but have never gotten around to it.
Bhawana
Do try it Shanna, you will surely love it.