The secret to cooking with cumin is to toast it in a heavy skillet, releasing the flavor.
To obtain optimum flavor from whole cumin seed, toast it over medium heat in a heavy skillet until it turns a mohogany color. Take care not to scorch it. Remove it immediately and transfer to a mortar or spice grinder. Grind until all seeds are reduced to a fine powder.
The taste is superior compared to prepackaged, storebought ground cumin.
