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Black seeds, kalonji, nigella
Tiny, matte black and shaped like little teardrops, black seeds turn up on naan, in pickles, on cheese and in spice blends from Morocco to Bangladesh. Here is what they are, all the names they go by, and five easy ways to cook with them. From our African and Black-owned store in Chicago.
Table of Contents
What are black seeds?
Black seeds are the seeds of Nigella sativa, a small flowering plant in the buttercup family, grown across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.1 The seeds are used as a spice in many cuisines and have a long place in traditional cooking, especially in Muslim households, where they are known as habbat al-barakah, "the seed of blessing".1
In the kitchen they taste slightly bitter, peppery and toasty, with an oniony note. A little goes a long way.
What's in black seeds
Studies of the seeds find roughly 20 to 27% protein, 28 to 45% fat (mostly unsaturated oils such as linoleic and oleic acid) and 6 to 8% fiber. The seeds also hold a small amount of essential oil whose main compound is thymoquinone, the part researchers study most.6 You use only a teaspoon at a time, so treat black seeds as a flavour, not a supplement.
One seed, many names
5 ways to cook with black seeds
Sprinkle on bread
Press a teaspoon onto naan, flatbread, bagels or bread dough before baking. This is the most common use in South Asian and Middle Eastern bakeries.
Fry in oil to start a curry
Drop ½ teaspoon into hot oil or ghee for 10 to 20 seconds until it crackles, then add onions. It gives dal, potatoes and vegetable dishes a toasty, oniony note.
Add to pickles
Kalonji is a classic in Indian mango and lime pickles, together with mustard and fennel seeds.
Mix into a spice blend
Bengali panch phoron ("five spices") is equal parts nigella, cumin, fennel, fenugreek and black mustard seeds, fried together in oil.
Top salads, rice and cheese
Toast lightly in a dry pan and scatter over salads, rice, roasted vegetables or soft white cheese.
Black seeds in African cooking
Black seeds are not only a South Asian spice. They are an old part of cooking in East and North Africa.
Tikur azmud
Ethiopian cooks call nigella tikur azmud. It goes into niter kibbeh, the spiced clarified butter behind many stews, and into some berbere spice mixes.4,5
Habba sawda
Known in Arabic as habba sawda ("black seed") or habbat al-barakah, it is sprinkled on breads and pastries across North Africa and the Middle East.1
Try it in your kitchen
Add a pinch to your jollof oil, scatter it on puff-puff dough or homemade flatbread, or fry it with onions for egg stew.
Recipe: Ethiopian-style spiced butter (niter kibbeh)
This spiced butter is the base of Ethiopian stews like doro wat and misir wat. Using ghee makes it quick, because the butter is already clarified.4
You need
- 1 cup ghee (or 2 sticks butter)
- ½ small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp black seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Melt the ghee in a small pot over low heat.
- Add everything else and keep it at a gentle simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Don't let it brown.
- Strain through a fine sieve or cloth into a clean jar.
- Keep in the fridge for up to a month. Use a spoonful to start stews, lentils, eggs or rice.
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Not the same as...
Onion seeds
Shops often label kalonji as "onion seeds". It is not from the onion plant; the name comes from the look and taste.1
Black cumin (Bunium)
"Black cumin" can also mean Bunium persicum, a true relative of cumin used in Kashmiri and Persian cooking. Nigella is a different plant.1,2
Black sesame
Black sesame seeds are flat, oily and nutty. Nigella seeds are smaller, angular and sharper in taste.
How much to use
| Dish | Amount | How |
|---|---|---|
| Flatbread or naan (1 batch) | 1 tsp | Press onto the dough before baking |
| Curry or stew (4 servings) | ½ tsp | Fry in oil first, 10 to 20 seconds |
| Pickles (1 jar) | 1 tsp | Add whole with the other spices |
| Salad or rice | A pinch | Toast dry, then sprinkle on top |
Buying and storing
Buy whole seeds rather than ground: they keep their flavour much longer. Store in an airtight jar away from the stove and sunlight. Grind or crush only what you need, just before cooking.
Looking for black seed oil for your skin or hair? That's a different product; this page is about the seeds in your food.
Black seeds FAQ
Are black seeds and kalonji the same thing?
Yes. Kalonji is the Hindi and Urdu name for the seeds of Nigella sativa. They are also sold as black seed, nigella seed, black cumin and, in Arabic, habbat al-barakah.
Are black seeds the same as onion seeds?
No. They are often sold as "onion seeds" because they look a bit like onion seed and taste slightly oniony, but they come from a different plant.
What do black seeds taste like?
Slightly bitter, peppery and toasty, a little like onion and oregano together. Toasting or frying them brings out the flavour.
Can I eat black seeds raw?
Yes, in food amounts, sprinkled on food. Most cooks toast or fry them first for better taste.
How long do black seeds keep?
Whole seeds keep their flavour for about a year in an airtight jar away from heat and light.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Nigella sativa.
- Wikipedia. Bunium persicum.
- Wikipedia. Panch phoron.
- Wikipedia. Niter kibbeh.
- Wikipedia. Berbere.
- Ahmad A. et al. (2013). Nigella sativa review, seed composition section. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine.