Cumin is a seed that is commonly used as a spice in whole or ground form. It has a strong, earthy and nutty flavour. It is a staple in Central American, South American, Indian and Asian cuisine. Many would argue that cumin is a necessary ingredient for any chilli recipe or other dishes in Tex-Mex cuisine. However, if too much cumin is added to chilli, the flavour can be overpowering and will need to be fixed.
- Cumin is a seed that is commonly used as a spice in whole or ground form.
- However, if too much cumin is added to chilli, the flavour can be overpowering and will need to be fixed.
Double the chilli recipe and store the extra chilli in the freezer for later consumption. When you double the recipe, do not add extra cumin - you want the cumin flavour to be diluted throughout the chilli.
Spoon out some of the liquid in the chilli pot and replace with an equal amount of unseasoned tomato juice. Add the other spices to taste to make up for the extra tomato sauce. Much of the flavour is in the liquid and the amount of liquid you need to spoon off depends on the amount of cumin that was used.
Balance the cumin flavour with more chilli powder or try nutmeg, a spice that is often regarded as the opposite of cumin.
Add one or two whole peeled potatoes to the chilli and simmer for 30 minutes to absorb some of the excess seasonings. Discard the potato when finished. This is a common fix for adding too much salt, but the potato can absorb other spices as well.
- Spoon out some of the liquid in the chilli pot and replace with an equal amount of unseasoned tomato juice.
- This is a common fix for adding too much salt, but the potato can absorb other spices as well.
Leave the spice ratio as is and serve the chilli with a dollop or two of sour cream. Sour cream can cool the spiciness of the cumin.
Pour 354ml of beer into the chilli and simmer for at least 10 minutes to let the flavours combine.
TIP
When adding more spices or diluting with more ingredients, always add a little at a time and taste the chilli as you go.