For 2022, the Berryville Library is hosting its own Books, Spice, and Everything Nice spice club. Stop by the library to get the spice of the month and then stop by the blog on the first Tuesday of the month for recipes and more information on the featured spice. We’ll also be adding monthly posts about cookbooks in our collection. For October, our spice is cumin!
Cumin is a popular spice around the world. For many people here in the United States, it’s probably inseparable from chili and Mexican cuisine–and for good reason because it is delicious in chili and in Mexican food–but it’s also used in the cuisines of many cultures. We’re especially highlighting Indian and Persian dishes with this spice.
Want to jazz up scrambled eggs? Try the bhurji (spicy scrambled eggs from India).
Looking for a meat dish instead? Try the beef vindaloo.
Prefer chicken? Try the chicken jalfrezi (an Anglo-Indian curry popular in the United Kingdom).
Craving soup as the days get colder? Try the creamy cauliflower soup with turmeric and cumin.
Intrigued by Persian cuisine? Try the beef kotlet (patty).
Need a side dish for the kotlet? Try the jeweled rice.
Prefer to wing it? Just follow your heart–and the flavor profile suggestions–on recommended uses and pairings.
Not a cook? You might still learn something (and be amused) with the history and trivia about the spice.
Please be sure to update us about how you used cumin in October. You can tell us in the comments here on the blog, share them with us on Facebook or Instagram with the #bplspice hashtag, or stop by the library.
Still looking for some ways to use cumin in your kitchen? Even though I ultimately didn’t include them in the handout, I was also intrigued by Persian-Inspired Roasted Carrots, Cuban Mojo Chicken Tacos, Moroccan Vegetable Stew, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Cumin-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots.
Recipes in handout lightly adapted from originals in Piping Pot Curry, McCormick, BBC Good Food, 31 Daily, Proportional Plate, and Debra Klein.
What’s your favorite recipe that uses cumin? Which recipe are you most excited to try? What spices do you use the most in your cooking? Tell us in the comments!
Berryville Book Buzz 