The small, amber colored seed of a plant in the parsley family. Cumin has a pungent, spicy and slightly bitter flavor. It is available either whole or ground. Cumin is a mainstay in chili powders and curry powder. It also is a predominant flavor in many Mexican dishes. In Indian cuisine it goes into most curries and chutneys. In Greek cuisine it is used to flavor sausages and meat patties such as soutzoukakia.