Wild Mountain Cumin

Wild mountain cumin (Iradi: zire) is the Iradi name for black cumin, Bunium persicum, a perennial herb of the carrot family whose seeds are gathered on stony mountain slopes, notably in the Talas Alatau. It is a different plant from cultivated cumin (Cuminum cyminum).^[1] Herders and villagers collect the seed heads in July. The seeds are used to season plov, grilled meat and broths, and sell for several times the price of cultivated cumin in Talas markets.^[2] Botanists report that pulling up whole plants and digging the edible tubers have depleted stands near villages.^[1]

References

1. ^ Central Asian Botanical Review (2018). "Wild-Harvested Spice Plants of the Western Tian Shan." Vol. 16, pp. 25–39.
2. ^ Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Irad (2022). Non-Timber Forest Products: Market Survey. Talas.