Cumin Powder, Toasted

See Photo Gallery for details

1. Spread Cumin Seeds in an unoiled iron pan or comal. Shown in the Photo Gallery is the Lodge L9OG3 Round Griddle, which is ideal for this sort of work.
2. Heat the pan to around 375°F/190°C, stirring the Cumin Seeds almost constantly. The pan should never exceed about 375°F, and you should never see any trace of smoke. The seeds are done when they are quite aromatic and have darkened just a bit. They should never be darker than in the photos or they will be bitter and lack flavor.
3. Pour the Cumin into a dish and let cool thoroughly.
4. Grind Cumin in your spice grinder or by other means. In India, this was traditionally done warm, crushing with a hard roller against a hard flat surface, in which case the result would be much more coarse than in our photo.
5. Sealed in a jar and kept in a cool place away from sunlight, this powder should be good for a few weeks.