Ground cumin does a different job from the whole seed. Where the seed pops in oil and stays distinct, the powder disappears into the dish and lifts everything around it.

Keep both. They are not interchangeable and most recipes that ask for one mean it.

Use it in garam masala and curry blends, through mince, in raita, over roasted vegetables, and in marinades. Buy it in sensible quantities, because ground spice fades faster than whole.

Stocked at Curry Corner, North Melbourne.