Cumin Family: UMBELLIFERAE Botanical name: Cuminum cyminum The Cumin plant is the namesake of the islands of Comino and Cominotto located in the centre of Maltese archipelago.   The Maltese Islands were renown for their Cumin crop in earlier times as was recorded in Jean Quentin d'Autun's 1536  "Insulae Melitae descriptio" (translated into English from Latin by H.C.R.Vella, 1980). Cumin is an annual plant, a spice herb, which grows some 30-60cm tall. Native to Egypt and Ethiopia, it is grown for its seeds. It is stiff stemmed, grooved and with branches, has long and narrow, threadlike leaves of deep green and produces small – white, or pallid pink – flowers around June-July. Cumin seeds ripen during August and carry a very strong flavour, as well as a somewhat coarse odour when raw, especially when ground for culinary uses. It is a favourite in southern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines (being a principal ingredient in curry powder). The yellowish-brown seeds are also used whole in rye bread, meat casseroles, lentil soup, pickles and chutney, cakes and biscuits. They can also be mixed with water when boiling cabbage or kidney beans, and in cottage cheese and lemon dip. References: The Herb Book – Arabella Boxer & Philippa Back – 1983 A Pocket Book on Herbs – Sarah Dyer -- 1984 Jean Quentin d'Autun -- Insulae Melitae descriptio translation by Horatio C.R.Vella (The Earliest Description of Malta, 1980) p.37   "Malta produces cumin too, a plant well known for medicine and seasoning, because it is spread over the bread's crust, giving it a very delicious taste. It likes a soft soil. It is of two kinds: one has a great bitterness of taste, and sometimes a profound smell, commonly called "rough cumin"; the other is similar to dill and aniseed in all respects: both of them can be sown. The African cumin, to which this ours is akin, has always been considered the best. Hence the inhabitants carry on a great commerce in cumin ..." back to main text

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