Persistence of Kerman cumin scent in Iranian taste
These days, the cumin harvest season is in its main habitat, Kerman province. Nomadic nomads, black cumin, which is known as the national symbol of Kerman, has been neglected, while these days it is still seen on Iranian tables only with the efforts of local people and peddlers.
The director of agricultural jihad in the city of Koohbanan says in this regard: It is predicted that 600 kg of black cumin will be harvested in this city this year.
Mehdi Masoudi states that the area under cultivation of black cumin in this city is 45 hectares and adds: The harvest of black cumin in Kuhbanan city will continue until the end of June.
He pointed out that Kuhbanan city is the first in Kerman province in terms of production under cultivation, he specified: more than 80% of Kuhbanan cumin is sent to Tehran, Isfahan and Kerman provinces.
The head of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Department of Anbarabad city says: out of 42 samples of medicinal plants that are covered by the natural resources of this city, cumin is considered as one of the most significant medicinal plants of this city.
Naseri states: This fragrant and fragrant plant grows in temperate regions and covers more than 8,000 hectares of the southern mountainous areas of the city, in each hectare of which more than one kilogram of cumin is obtained.
He added: The cumin harvest by 10 farmers in the southern Jabalbarz region has started on June 1 and will continue until June 20.
Unfortunately, the drought of the last few years had reduced the production of this plant, so that most of the black cumin habitats in the province were in danger of extinction, but the good rains this year have caused the growth of this medicinal plant to increase significantly, said Alizadeh. Be .
He adds: The production of cumin depends on the amount of rainfall, and in the past few years, the decrease in cumin harvest due to drought has caused its price to rise.
Alizadeh continues: Since the growing points of cumin are often done in high places with a steep slope, the harvesting process is associated with many problems and each person can only collect between half and one kilo of cumin seeds daily.
Alizadeh says: Increasing livestock grazing in pastures and plains around cities, causes the destruction of plants such as cumin that grow naturally in these areas, and therefore we must strengthen their maintenance and protection through agricultural operations.
He says: Kerman cumin has a very high quality and is rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium and a significant amount of iron, and due to vitamins A, C, E and B6 and riboflavin is used in food, medicine and cosmetics. .
Alizadeh says: Unfortunately, many profiteers import cumin from neighboring countries and sell it under the name of Kerman cumin at very high prices, and this practice has made it very difficult for travelers and even the people of Kerman to find the original cumin.
He says: Unfortunately, some neighboring provinces that cultivate cumin also offer their product to the consumer market under the name of Kerman, and the poor quality of this product will damage the reputation of Kerman cumin.
Alizadeh says: Currently, this crop is harvested only by indigenous and nomadic people in impassable and mountainous areas of Kerman province, and the only way for perfumers to access this plant is local people.
Fortunately, this year the cumin harvest has grown well due to the good rains in spring and late winter, Ebrahimi, a resident of Jopar, who brings cumin to the Kerman market for sale every year.
The only water source of cumin is seasonal rains because cumin grows on its own in the region and no artificial irrigation occurs to cultivate this plant, he said.
Ebrahimi adds: Harvesting cumin, which grows in the highlands of the province and not everyone can access it, is not an easy task and therefore has a high price.
He adds: Despite the difficulties and problems of collecting cumin, most of its income goes to intermediaries and peddlers, and farmers and nomads do not make much profit from collecting and selling it.
Ali Razaghi, a plant breeder, says: Kerman province has different climates, including desert, Mediterranean, mountainous and cold, and this climatic diversity has led to the growth of various plant species in this province, including some plants in Kerman province. They are unique to this province or they grow with quality incomparable to other provinces.
He says: Undoubtedly, Kerman province is a showcase of various medicinal plants in its vast area, and most of these plants grow naturally in the mountains and plains of this region.
Razzaqi says: One of the most unique medicinal plants of Kerman, which has also found a flavoring aspect to Iranian food, is black cumin, which grows in most mountains of Kerman province, but most of this medicinal plant is harvested in the mountains of Jabalbarzeh, Jopar and Khabar. It is done and it can be said that it is the efforts of the natives of these areas that still keep the taste of cumin in the taste of Iranians.
Razaghi says: Cumin is a herbaceous, biennial plant, 60 cm high. The stems of your cumin are hollow, grooved and branched from the base. The leaves of this plant have many cuts, so that they are thread-like and light green.
He continues: The leaves at the base of the plant have short, pod-like petioles. The flowers of this plant are small, white and sometimes pink, in the form of a compound umbrella. Cumin fruits, elongated and pointed, up to 6 mm long and brown and sometimes chocolate brown or yellowish. All parts of the plant, especially fruits, have a good and fragrant smell, and the part used in cumin is its fruits, which are used directly from it or from its essential oil.
Razzaqi says: Cumin is available in two types, green and black, which, although they have relatively similar nutritional properties, but also have differences.
Regarding the types of cumin, he says: We know two types of cumin with the names of black cumin and green cumin, the black type of which is known as Kermani and mountain cumin and the green type is known as Kravieh, the black cumin is thinner and It has more aroma but cumin has more volume and less aroma.
He adds: If the officials pay more attention to this product, which does not need much water for cultivation, along with other products such as saffron, it can become one of the most important agricultural resources in Kerman province.
But Mohammadi nutrition expert says: Cumin has been one of the most abundant and pleasant medicinal plants in Kerman in the past, which has been used due to its taste and medicinal properties, and now it plays an essential role in many medicines.
He adds: Cumin is one of the oldest Iranian aromatic plants that has been in our stews and breads for centuries.
Mohammadi says: Cumin has calories, 100 grams of which has 370 kcal of energy. Cumin is the strongest anti-flatulence plant and helps digestion and eliminates convulsions and tremors.
He continues: In the composition of black cumin, there is a considerable amount of protein and about 5-4% of volatile essential oil, the amount of which varies in different types according to the cultivation area, two chemical substances in cumin essential oil ( Karun and Carol) facilitate the work of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. They also have beneficial effects on the smooth muscles of the uterus. Chewing cumin seeds after a meal also improves digestion and eliminates bad breath.
Cumin is a very good spice for digestion, detoxification, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal and liver cancers, says Mohammadi. Cumin can also be used to treat problems such as diarrhea, morning sickness and colds. Also, if you are weak due to illness or for any other reason, cumin decoction will be a good drink to strengthen you.