Seeragam, jeera in Hindi, is cumin, a small annual of the carrot family whose ridged, seed-like fruits are fried in oil at the start of countless Indian dishes. India grows and exports more cumin than any other country, almost all from Gujarat and Rajasthan, and Unjha in Gujarat is the main market. It is not black cumin or kalonji, Nigella sativa, nor shahi jeera, Bunium persicum.
- Botanical name
- Cuminum cyminum L.
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Tamil
- Seeragam
- Hindi
- Jeera
- Sanskrit
- Jīraka
- Parts used
- Dried fruit (seed in kitchen talk)
- Habit
- Small annual umbellifer; the spice is the ridged fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Seeragam
It is a slender annual herb, usually ankle- to knee-high.
The leaves are finely divided into thread-like segments.
Small white or pink flowers grow in little umbels.
The fruits are slender, oblong, grey-brown and ridged, about five millimetres long.
Fennel fruits are larger and greenish, and caraway fruits are curved and darker.
Traditional use of Seeragam
Kitchen
Jeera is fried in oil or ghee as tadka for dal, rice and vegetables, and roasted and ground into jaljeera and raita.
Indian food practice
Kitchen
Seeragam water, cumin boiled in water, is a common Tamil home drink.
Tamil household practice
Ayurveda
Jiraka is a digestive spice in Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic practice
Modern notes on Seeragam
Its aroma comes mainly from cuminaldehyde.
Ground cumin is sometimes adulterated with grass seed, sawdust or colouring.
Cumin grows only in cool, dry winters, which limits where it can be farmed.
Cumin was among the most traded spices of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Seeragam safety
Cumin is safe in cooking amounts. Buy ground cumin from trusted sources because of adulteration.
Ecology and sourcing
It was domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean and West Asia.
It is a winter crop in western India.
Wilt and blight diseases are major problems in humid weather.
Related plants
Also in Apiaceae
Questions about Seeragam
Is kalonji black cumin?
Kalonji is Nigella sativa, a different plant.
What is shahi jeera?
Bunium persicum, a darker, thinner relative.
Where is cumin grown?
Mainly Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Is cumin a seed?
Botanically, it is a dried fruit.
What is jaljeera?
A spiced cumin drink.
Why roast cumin?
Dry-roasting brings out a nutty flavour before grinding.
Sources
- Cuminum cyminum L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q132624 (Cuminum cyminum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.