Kalonji (Nigella)

Nigella seeds come from Nigella sativa, a flowering plant grown across South Asia and the Middle East. They are called kalonji in Hindi and Urdu and karunjeeragam in Tamil, and are often sold as onion seeds, though they have nothing to do with onions. Some packs call them black cumin, which confuses them with kala jeera, a different spice altogether.

Kalonji goes onto naan and kulcha, into Bengali and Hyderabadi pickles, and into panch phoron with cumin, fennel, fenugreek and mustard. It is lovely fried in mustard oil for aloo, pumpkin or cauliflower, and a pinch lifts a paneer dish or a vegetable pickle. Its flavour is gentle, so recipes often use a full teaspoon or more.

Toast nigella seeds lightly or fry them briefly in oil, as they turn bitter if scorched. Press them into dough just before baking so they stick. Sealed, they keep their aroma for a year or more. See panch phoron for the ready mixed blend, cumin seeds for true black cumin, mustard oil for Bengali cooking, and more seeds in whole spices.