Our Wild Mountain Cumin has a savory, penetrating aroma and bright, umami flavor. The tiny, oblong black seeds are hand-picked by foragers in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. Botanically distinct from common cumin, our Wild Mountain Cumin is renowned in Afghanistan and throughout central and south Asia for its delicious flavor as well as its medicinal properties. It has a savory, penetrating aroma and bright, umami flavor evocative of grilled meats and sweet caramelized onions.
Badakhshan, Afghanistan
Black cumin, Persian cumin, kala jeera, Elwendia persica
Sun-dried
Whole wild cumin (Bunium persicum)
Grilled Onion • Dried Apricots • Mountain Air
What they're saying
COOKING
- Spinach with Cumin and Garlic
- Mahi Mahi with Stewed Spiced Peaches
- Moong Dal with Garam Masala
- Bhopali Pilaf
- Moroccan Chicken Kebabs
- Sweet Potato Hash
- Qabuli Pilau/Spiced Rice
- Seared Spice-Crusted Fish & Spicy Pineapple Salsa
- Simple Spiced Tofu Scramble
- Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken with Za'atar Chickpea Salad
- Barkha's Spring Pickles
SOURCING
Our Wild Mountain Cumin is sourced directly from networks of foragers in the Hindu Kush mountain range of Badakhshan province in the northeastern corner of Afghanistan. The Hindu Kush range is characterized by steep, rocky peaks cut through by green river valleys; the significant snowfall in the winter results in abundant vegetation in the short spring and summer seasons despite low rainfall. The rocky soil cultivates an ancient and resilient varietal of cumin with a warm, pungent flavor and irresistible aroma.
The cumin grows wild, and other than the small quantities we export, is harvested only for local consumption; there is no scalability or institutional infrastructure for export, and we are only able to source this very rare cumin varietal because of Burlap & Barrel founder Ethan’s years working in Badakhshan and surrounding provinces.
Burlap & Barrel is the only importer of Wild Mountain Cumin from Afghanistan. Our cumin grows wild and can be considered naturally organic, as no pesticides or other chemicals are used in its cultivation.
Meet the Forager: Ali collects our Wild Mountain Cumin from foragers who bring it down from the high mountains of Afghanistan's Hindu Kush to Faizabad, where he cleans it and prepares it for shipment.
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United StatesWild Mountain Cumin
I'm 2/3 through the jar and wondering if it's already all sold out. I love love love this amazing cumin. I may need to use sparingly moving forward.... no... I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Next time it's available though I'll but as much as they let me.
United StatesThe most Delightfully fragrant cumin!
It doesn’t get better.
the BEST black pepper
We learned about the wonderful aromatic qualities of black pepper from Zanzibar during a trip to that island. Burlap and Barrel pepper is the same source (they were the only people we found that import it) and just delicious. Its an entirely different experience from regular black pepper.
United StatesThought all cumin was the same
Until I tried this. Unbelievable flavor. Burlap f barrel always excels
CanadaGreat discovery
Just by the smell you can tell this is something else! Used is to make some spicy cumin carrots and it was amazing! It's gonna be hard to finish the left over cumin from the store now! ;)