Nigella seeds come from the plant Nigella sativa. This culinary spice is popular in Indian, Turkish, and Iranian cuisines. It also has a place in the cuisines of various countries of North Africa, especially Lebanon.

These seeds have an essential oil makeup of 0.5% to 1.5% that is mostly thymoquinone. They are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and oleic acids.

In Arabic it is called either “habat albaraka,” or “habit assuda,” in Mandarin it is “hei jhong cao,” it is “poivrette” in French, “nigella” in German, in Hindi it is either “kalonji” or “kala jeera,” in Japanese it is “nigera,” in Russian “chernushka,” it is “nigela” in Portuguese, and finally you will hear either “neguilla” or “pasinara” in Spanish. The true name for this spice is Nigella Seed, though in Turkish cuisine it is often referred to as “black Caraway seed”.” You may also on occasion find this incorrectly listed and sold as “black onion seed”, “Roman coriander,” “black cumin,” or "black cumin seed.” Some other interesting names this spice is sometimes called are “love-in-a-mist” and “devil in a bush.”

History of Nigella Seeds

Nigella seeds were called the cure for “anything but death” by the prophet Mohammed and it was also found entombed with King Tutankhamen. They were used in Ancient Rome and in traditional Asian medicine practices as a food additive. They were used by the famous Greek physician Dioscorides to treat headaches and tooth pains. The earliest written records of nigella seed come from the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. Called “ketzah” in this instance, nigella seed was eaten regularly, particularly on breads.

In the 7th century, the use of nigella seed became more widespread within the Islamic culture. It was a popular food preservative and was a heavily used ingredient in home remedies for a variety of illnesses. Many people would use the oil from the seeds for their health benefits, but also for beauty routines. It was used to strengthen hair, nails, and to treat skin ailments like eczema.

This seed was introduced to the United States as “charnushka” by the Armenian people. Today, nigella seeds are a part of the Indian spice blend “Panch Phoron”- literally “five spices”- that is finding more popularity in the United States as Indian food becomes more and more widespread and widely enjoyed. You may still see nigella seed marketed as “charnuska” in some communities across the country.

Nigella Seed Cultivation

Part of the buttercup family, scientifically known as Ranunculaceae, the nigella plant sprouts gorgeous little star shaped purple-blue or white flowers that appear in the late spring and early fall.

This plant is not picky about soil type, as long as it is well-drained and adequately nutrient dense. It likes full sun, but partial shade is okay. The seeds of this plant are cold-responsive, meaning they do better when planted during the early parts of the season when the soils are still chilled. The soil should be evenly moist but not extremely wet. The flowers of the plant will wilt and then produce seed pods, but if the wilted flowers are removed from the plant, another flower will pop up in its place. This small, white, irregular, almost pear-shaped seed forms inside a seed pod that is harvested before it is ripe, so the seeds don’t burst out all over the place. Once the seed pod is harvested, it is dried and then crushed gently to gain access to the seeds. The seeds are white until they are exposed to the air- this turns them black.

Where is it from?

Our Organic Nigella Seeds are grown in Egypt.

What’s the Difference Between Onion Seeds and Nigella Seeds?

Onion seeds and nigella seeds are often mistaken for one another because of their similar flavor and appearance. Nigella seeds are even sometimes mislabeled as onion seeds. Their main difference comes from the fact that they are from two different plants entirely.

Cooking with Organic Nigella Seeds

Add these seeds to dishes with red lentils, soups especially. It’s delicious on squashes- butternut is a popular pairing choice. Nigella seeds are most commonly found on breads like naan or other similar Indian flatbreads. It is used in place of caraway seeds on Jewish rye breads and can also be used on bagels, rolls, or biscuits.

When used in combination with other spices, nigella seed is delicious. Try it with ajwain, allspice, cardamom, coriander, fennel seed, fenugreek, pepper, turmeric.

Add them to salads or soups right before serving for a nice crunch. When added to a salad, they are especially good in a salad full of greens and mandarin oranges. The brightness of the orange pairs well with the flavors of the nigella seeds. These seeds taste lovely on chicken, soft cheeses, lamb, green vegetables, root vegetables, legumes, and is easily incorporated into various stir-fries and vegetarian dishes. Nigella seeds can be used as a dry dip, particularly for hard boiled eggs and string cheese.

Whole vs Ground

When using Organic Nigella seeds in cooking, you may want to toast them lightly to release the essential oils of the seed. This helps widen the flavor and adds a bit of depth and complexity. Grinding them can make them easier to work with in some instances, but you could just as easily use them whole. Just like other spices, it is important to store these seeds out of the way of direct light sources, in a cool, dry place.

What Do Organic Nigella Seeds Taste Like?

Organic Nigella Seeds taste nutty with a slight pepperiness to them. Some say they have a burnt onion flavor to them, as well.

Substitutions and Conversions

Black sesame seeds can be used in place of nigella seeds for their nutty flavor and similar coloring. These can be substituted at a one to one ratio.

Related Blog Posts