How to mask the taste of cumin
I strongly dislike cumin. Now that I accidentally bought bread that contains it, I wondered if there are any ways to mask the taste.
This question is meant to find out general ways to mask cumin, in dishes hot and cold. I'm aware that the options might be heavily limited in cold dishes, so the main focus presumably lies on hot meals.
Please note that while the cumin-contaminated bread was my incentive to write this question, answers should not focus on it too much. A general approach for hot (and cold) dishes is sought for.
The only existing question concerning cumin was "How do I save curry with too much cumin?", which has two answers related to indian cuisine. Since these are only concerned with curry, this question looking for a general approach is not a duplicate.
Best Answer
You'll never mask it completely, so the aim is mainly to dilute it to an acceptable level. If you can't stand even the faintest hint, I suggest you give the bread to someone who will enjoy it while it's still fresh (or freeze it to turn into croutons for someone who will enjoy them; they'd go nicely with some winter soups).
What masking you will get is mostly from spice, especially heat (as suggested at the "curry" question linked above).
For bread specifically: I would crumb it, then mix those crumbs with with plain breadcrumbs, and probably some cayenne pepper, black pepper and herbs, to use as a coating (e.g. for chicken pieces) or topping (I make a sort of bean stew out of an old vegetarian recipe book, with a crumb and cheese crust on top).
You can also add cheese, especially if using as a topping. You might be doing this for some time, as you'll probably need at least 5:1 dilution even with additional flavour, so mix up small quantities. You can freeze breadcrumbs so this doesn't have to be done quickly.
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How do you calm the taste of cumin?
There are few ways to fix when you have added spices more than the required amount. If you have added more chili powder : Add some coconut milk or desiccated coconut, or cream or a spoon of yogurt. a small tip : if you had any spice ,esp for curry always add it before pouring water.What happens if you have too much cumin?
The oil present in cumin seeds is highly volatile and can eventually lead to liver and/or kidney damage. This is caused mainly by consuming excess amounts of the seeds. Hence, it is advised to keep the consumption limited to moderate amounts.Why does my cumin taste bitter?
But all flavor compounds get exaggerated by heat, and some of the cumins became slightly too bitter for tasters once they were cooked. Bitterness can be the result of natural factors (such as the weather, the soil, or the strain of cumin used) and/or differences in processing methods.What tastes good with cumin?
The incredibly savory base flavors of cumin pair well with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, clove, fennel, Greek oregano, nutmeg, fenugreek, thyme leaves, coriander, cilantro, sumac, and mint. Some people find cumin's strong flavor is for the birds, and they're actually right.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Engin Akyurt, Pavel Danilyuk, MART PRODUCTION, Pavel Danilyuk