Cumin is the dried, white fruit with greyish brown colour of a small slender annual herb. The surface of the fruit has 5 primary ridges, alternatively has 4 less distinct secondary ridges bearing numerous short hairs. The plant is 15 to 50 cm high. The aromatic seed like fruit is elongated, ovoid, 3 to 6 mm long, slightly bitter and has a warm flavour. The flowers are white or rose coloured in small umbels.
Cumin seeds are the seeds of cuminum cyminum, which belongs to the parsley family. It is pale green in color and elliptical in shape with deep furrows. Cumin seeds has a penetrating flavour and aroma.
