Stomach ache? Drink cumin water.
If you have grown up receiving that rejoinder every time you wondered aloud how to tame your queasy stomach, you probably have memories of drinking cumin infused water and feeling its woody flavours filling you up. Cumin – jeera for readers from the Indian subcontinent –is the go to spice when experiencing indigestion or stomach ache.
The everyday spice in many a home in India and in the region has vast health benefits, ensuring a regular role in almost every dish. While vegetarians have found interesting ways to incorporate it in their cooking, it has an equally aromatic role in many a non-vegetarian item too. Indian chefs would certainly nod in agreement.
Said to have originated in a region of the Eastern Mediterranean called the Levant, cumin is the dried seed of the Cuminum cyminum herb, a member of the parsley family. It is used in many cuisines as whole seeds and powder form to enhance the dish’s flavours. Interestingly, ancient Greeks kept it in a container on the dining table like the modern-day pepper shaker; the practice continues in Morocco even today.
The seemingly unimposing cumin owes its position in the spice rack of many a kitchen for health reasons. For, studies have shown the spice to have a major function in regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels and boosting immunity. It also helps digest food, aids respiratory health and even enhances skin elasticity. But what makes cumin seeds a big attraction for all those on a weight-loss mission is its potential to speed up metabolism, suppress appetite and, yes, aid weight loss. A study, in fact, found that eating three grams of cumin seeds a day led to a 15 per cent decrease in fat in three months.
Here is a popular cumin seeds water recipe for weight loss:
Cumin Seeds Water
Ingredients:
- 1 glass water
- 1tsp cumin seeds
- 1tsp honey (optional)
Method:
- Place water in a saucepan over medium heat and add cumin seeds.
- Bring the water to boil and turn the heat to simmer for about five minutes.
- Switch off the heat and strain the water.
- Add a teaspoon of honey if you desire and stir it well before drinking (on empty stomach or after meals).
While this is more of a health drink, jeera is liberally used in cooking aromatic rice, refreshing summer drinks, salads, vegetables, kebabs and what not…
It is all about getting creative to turn even mundane dishes into aromatic affairs with roasted cumin seeds.
