Nigella seed

About

Nigella seed is also known by several other names, including black cumin, black caraway, black sesame, and black onion seed. Raw, the seeds have a light fragrance often compared to floor polish or milk; heated, they develop a flavor similar to oregano or thyme but milder, with a bitterness closer to dark malt or stout beer rather than a sharp, harsh edge. Descriptions of its flavor vary, from smoky or musky, similar to toasted sesame, to fruity, grape-like, or candy-like; ground nigella seed is sometimes compared to strawberry.

Pairs well with nigella seed

• CiLemonNigella seeds have a citric edge from their high cymene content, an aromatic compound also found in cumin and nutmeg; in Morocco, nigella…
• EaPotatoKalonji aloo, a classic Bengali dish, stir-fries potato sticks with onion and green chile and finishes with nigella seeds.
• CrCoconutToasting brings out nuttiness in nigella seed, suiting it to sweet dishes; on Peshwari naan, it lends a mild smokiness to the…
• ChCheeseTel banir, an Armenian braided string cheese, is flavored with nigella seeds, giving it a milky, salty character somewhere between…
• EaCuminNigella seed's flavor is often described as falling between cumin and thyme, though in spice blends such as the Bengali panch phoron (with…
• RoSesameNigella and sesame seeds are used together or separately on flatbreads such as Indian naan and Iranian barbari.
• WoCarrotNigella seeds, common in pickling blends, pair well with carrot in a quick pickle: salted carrot sticks are rinsed, dried, and combined…
• SpPeppercornPerfumer Steffen Arctander compared nigella seed's flavor to cubeb pepper, though the resemblance is debatable; unlike cubeb, nigella…
• CrDateThe Iraqi cookie kleicha wraps date paste and cardamom in a pastry topped with nigella seeds, whose bitter, toasty flavor offsets the…
• SuCauliflowerNigella seeds work best with mild, pale flavors such as bread, light cheeses like Brie, coconut and cauliflower; they are sometimes used…
• GrFennelNigella seeds, from a plant in the buttercup family, have flavored Egyptian bread since antiquity and commonly top Indian parathas and…
• EaRyeIn Russia and Poland, where nigella seed is known as charnushka, it's a popular addition to rye bread, some bakers consider it as…
• SpFenugreekPanch phoron, a Bengali five-spice blend, combines fenugreek, nigella, cumin, fennel and either wild celery or mustard seed for both…