Cumin Coriander Powder

Make freshly ground coriander spice powder at home in 10 minutes! Made from ground coriander seeds, making this aromatic dhania powder at home will level up your Indian dishes and save you some money!

10 Minute Coriander Cumin Powder (Dhana jeera powder)

• Homemade spice blend gives great, fresh flavor
• Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free
• Easy to make

Dhania jeera powder or dhania jeera powder / dhaniya jeera powder in English means coriander cumin powder.  In Gujarati, cumin and coriander powder is “dhana jiru powder or dhana jeeru.”

Cumin coriander powder is a quintessential Indian spice blend used very often in Gujarati cooking and can be used in many Indian dishes across regional Indian cuisines.  It is a very handy Indian spice to keep on hand, I keep a cumin and coriander powder blend in my masala dabba or spice dabba.

I’ve already covered how to make ground coriander powder and roasted cumin powder.  This is simply a blend of the two spices.

Why make it at home

Making your own coriander powder and generally other spices freshly ground at home literally levels up the taste of your dishes.

It is a key differentiator in delicious home cooking. 

1. #1 reason is the fresh punch of flavor!

2. #2 When it is homemade, you can be sure there are no added preservatives or fillers and you can be sure it is the right ratio of spices

3. #3 It is more cost effective than buying the spice blend ready made (which you can find in stores by the way)

Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)

Made from whole coriander seeds, coriander powder is an essential spice in my masala dabba and used very often in Indian cooking. It is an ingredient in spice mixes such as garam masala powder.  

• Whole coriander seeds taste: warm, citrus notes, hints of lemon pepper
• Ground coriander powder taste: Deeper/smoky notes than coriander (above) as they are roasted and ground

Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder)

Made from whole cumin seeds, roasted cumin powder is another essential spice. It is an ingredient in spice mixes such as garam masala powder and also used in salted lassis and many Indian dishes

• Taste profile: mild, earthy flavour, hints of sweet and bitter

In my pantry I keep both ground and whole cumin because they each serve different purposes/ are used differently. Whole cumin seeds, for example,  are added to hot oil for tempering or tadka in many dishes.

A very popular use is to make Jeera Rice, made from basmati rice which is commonly found in Indian restaurants.

Ingredients

I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now, all you need are:

Coriander seeds: Found easily in local Indian grocery store or online

Cumin seeds: Same as above, found easily in stores!

These two make the dhana jeera powder ratio. 

How to make Dhana Jeera Powder (Cumin Coriander Powder)

Simply dry roast the seeds and grind

First, place a heavy bottomed pan on low-medium heat. 

Then, add the whole coriander seeds to the pan.  Toast the spice for 4-5 minutes, mixing intermittently.

You don’t want to let them sit for too long as they can burn easily.

Once you start to see the seeds begin to darken a bit and smell a nutty aroma, the seeds are ready!

Let them cool completely to room temperature. 

How To Grind

Then, you can grind the seeds using a variety of options:

• Spice grinder
• Coffee grinder
• Mortar & pestle

My Mom uses a dhana jiru powder ratio of 1 coriander to ½ cumin seeds.  You can adjust to your preference and total quantity using this ratio.

Storing the Spice Blend

Ready made ground spices are sitting on the shelf for some time and lose their flavor. According to Bon Appetit, “You shouldn’t keep ground spices for more than three months and whole spices for more than eight to ten.”

Store coriander powder in an airtight container for up to three months (you can go longer, it will just begin to lose a little flavor over time).  I like to operate on a quarterly basis and make small batches to last me at least 3 months and then I will grind a fresh batch.

Roasting in Microwave

While it is possible to roast spices in a microwave to make this dhana jiru powder recipe, I don’t recommend it.  It is very easy for them to burn as you don’t get the same visual and smell cues as when you roast the seeds stovetop in a pan.