In the Standard's new Simply Spiced series, each fortnight food writer Mallika Basu will create a recipe centring around a specific spice. In the fourth instalment, Mallika dresses chicken in two types of cumin.
Versatile in flavour and form, cumin seeds are the bedrock of any basic spice cupboard.
They release their wonderful smoky and warm flavours when sizzled in hot oil. But beware of leaving them sizzling for too long, however, as they burn quickly.
A natural partner to coriander seeds, you can turn cumin seeds more intense and earthier by dry roasting and grinding it to add a finishing touch to dishes. It’s also great with yoghurt and on eggs.
Cumin Chicken
Feeds 4
This quick-fix chicken stir fry is a weeknight favourite powered by little more than cumin and plenty of flavour.
It owes its earthy and moreish taste to both cumin seeds and ground cumin, and is lunchbox friendly if you fancy assembling wraps in the office kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 500gm chicken thigh fillets, cubed
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- Half tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
Method
Bring the oil to medium heat in a wok or sauté pan. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and as the sizzle, mix through the chicken thigh cubes, cumin powder, and turmeric.
Sauté for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Add salt to taste and serve with a flatbread of your choice and a lemony salad.
You can find more of Mallika Basu's 'Simply Spiced' recipes here and follow her on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
