When a recipe calls for cumin seeds – as so many Eastern Indian and Southwestern dishes do – toasting them first brings out their distinctive nutty flavor.
Place the seeds in a dry sauté pan over low heat, and stir them or shake the pan for 2 or 3 minutes, until they’re aromatic and a shade darker. (Watch closely so they don’t burn.)
Let cool, and use them in black bean dip or chili and on cauliflower.