Kalonji (Nigella Seeds): What They Are and How to Use Them
Chef PashaShare
Kalonji is nigella seed: small, matte black, and slightly bitter with a note somewhere between onion and oregano. It is scattered on naan, stirred into pickles, and dropped into hot oil for a tarka. Use about half a teaspoon per dish.
Key points
- Kalonji and nigella seed are the same thing.
- It is not black sesame, not onion seed, not caraway.
- The flavor is bitter and oniony, so it works against rich food.
- Toast it briefly in hot fat or it tastes flat.
- A little goes a long way. Half a teaspoon is usually plenty.
What it tastes like
Bitter first, then a savory note that sits between onion and dried oregano. It is more interesting than it is strong.
That bitterness is the point. It cuts through rich, oily or creamy food, which is why it ends up on breads and in pickles.
What it is not
Kalonji gets confused with three other seeds, and the substitutions do not work.
| Often confused with | What it actually is | Can it substitute? |
|---|---|---|
| Black sesame | A sesame seed. Nutty and sweet | No. Different flavor entirely |
| Onion seed | A misnomer for kalonji in older books | It is the same thing, badly named |
| Black cumin, kala jeera | A caraway relative, thin and curved | No. Much stronger and more caraway-like |
| Celery seed | A different plant, grassy and bitter | Not really, though both are bitter |
Where it actually goes
| Dish | How much | When |
|---|---|---|
| Naan or kulcha | A pinch, scattered | Pressed into the dough before baking |
| Aloo or vegetable sabzi | 1/2 tsp | Into hot oil at the start, with the cumin |
| Daal tarka | 1/2 tsp | In the tempering, for twenty seconds |
| Pickles and achar | 1 tsp per jar | Into the oil before the vegetables |
| Bread and savory biscuits | 1 tsp per loaf | Into the dough, or on top before baking |
Toast it, briefly
Dropped straight into a dish, kalonji tastes dusty. Thirty seconds in hot oil or ghee changes it completely.
Watch it. The seeds are small and they go from fragrant to burnt in about ten seconds.
Pasha Nigella (Kalonji) Seeds
Whole nigella seeds in a 100 g resealable pouch, with nothing else added.
One pouch lasts most kitchens the better part of a year, since the amounts are small.
Shop Nigella (Kalonji) SeedsStoring it
Whole seeds hold their oils far longer than ground spice. Keep the pouch sealed, in a cupboard, away from the stove.
If you cannot smell anything when you crush a few between your fingers, the pouch has been open too long.
Where to buy the ingredients
Pasha is stocked at eleven grocers across greater Houston. The store locator lists each one with directions.
Everything is also available online, with free delivery across the Houston area on orders over $25 and shipping anywhere in Texas.
Questions people ask
- What is kalonji in English?
- Nigella seed. You will also see it sold as black seed, and in older cookbooks as onion seed, which is misleading.
- Is kalonji the same as black sesame?
- No. Black sesame is nutty and slightly sweet. Kalonji is bitter and oniony, and the two are not interchangeable.
- What does kalonji taste like?
- Bitter at first, then savory, with a note between onion and dried oregano.
- How much kalonji should I use?
- About half a teaspoon for a family sized dish, toasted briefly in hot oil first.
- Where can I buy kalonji in Houston?
- Pasha Nigella (Kalonji) Seeds are stocked at eleven grocers across the metro, and online with free Houston delivery over $25.
