Cumin, in Particular, Lends an Essential Sun-Baked Earthiness to Food

A practice that stretches across to North African and Levantine cooking. It is the second most popular spice in the world today, after black pepper. The seeds should be toasted to elicit their nuttiness and the flavour-enhancing sulphurous compounds also found in roast beef and cruciferous vegetables. Whole mustard seeds need toasting, too, to bring out the earthy, popcorn-like notes behind their pungent heat. Other members of the earthy family include turmeric, nigella and fenugreek, all celebrated in Indian cooking.