Cumin Seed (Zi Ran)
Lamb instantly tastes like the Silk Road! The scent that dominates Chinese BBQ
Description
A Silk Road spice from Xinjiang Uyghur, now completely dominating BBQ (Shao Kao) across China. This is cumin (the main ingredient in curry), but in China, it's heavily dusted over mutton skewers not just as powder (Zi Ran Fen), but as whole seeds (Zi Ran Li).
Classification: Everyone, Spice, Cumin, Mutton Dishes, BBQ, Shao Kao, Silk Road
Shops selling Cumin Seed (Zi Ran)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The How to use section below is a general reference, not instructions from the listed shops.
How to use
Ingredients
- Seeds of Cuminum cyminum (Cumin
- whole and powder)
Instructions
- [Typical Uses]
- [Mutton Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan)]: When charcoal-grilling mutton, shake massive amounts of whole/powdered cumin along with salt and chili powder.
- [Zi Ran Yang Rou]: Wok-fry mutton and onions on high, heavily glazing with cumin (rice thief).
- Sprinkle finishing iron-plate squid or street food.
Learn more Substitutes, pairings, tips
Key spices
Exotic intense aroma reminiscent of curry、with faint bitterness and sweetness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Can be perfectly substituted with JP supermarket cumin seeds/powder
Pairing
Mutton Skewers / Mutton Stir-fry / All BBQ
Trivia
The Chinese word 'Zi Ran' is said to be a phonetic translation of the Uyghur 'Zire'. Go to a Chinese night market, and the whole city drifts with this cumin smell amidst the smoke.
Eating tips & etiquette
The intense smell of mutton and the exotic aroma of cumin are one of the 'greatest marriages' in Chinese cuisine. Dumping it on until you think 'is this too much?' is the trick to recreating junk street-food flavor.
Allergen
None