Nigella Seed
Kalonji / Mangrail
Grown across the West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh seed-spice belts, our nigella is sortex-cleaned to a uniform, deep matte black. The tiny teardrop seeds carry a warm, peppery aroma with notes of toasted onion and oregano, and a faint bitterness that blooms when tempered in hot oil. Scatter them over naan and flatbreads, crackle them into dals, or pickle and panch-phoron blends.
Sealed at peak, shipped with provenance.
Packed in resealable, food-grade pouches that lock in aroma and colour — each labelled with its origin, grade and taste profile.
- India
- West Bengal & Madhya Pradesh belt
- Whole seed
- Sortex-cleaned · bold black · 99% purity
- Steam-sterilised · ETO-free · lab-tested
- 2-3 years whole, airtight
Also known as · Black Seed · Black Cumin · Nigelle · Habba Sawda · Nigella sativa
How to use it
Scattered over naan, kulcha and everything-bagel breads
Tempered into dals, vegetables and pickles
Part of the Bengali five-spice panch phoron
Sprinkled on roasted vegetables and savoury biscuits
Infused into oils and dressings for a peppery note
Questions
- Is kalonji the same as nigella seed?
- Yes. Kalonji is the Indian name for the seed of Nigella sativa, sold in the West as nigella seed and in wellness circles as black seed or black cumin. They are all the same small, matte-black, oniony-peppery seed.
- Is nigella the same as black cumin or shahi jeera?
- No, and the names are often confused. True nigella is Nigella sativa, with angular matte-black seeds, whereas shahi jeera is a slender caraway-like cumin relative. Our seed is genuine nigella, not shahi jeera or true black cumin.
- How do I get the most flavour from the seeds?
- Nigella's flavour blooms with heat. Crackle the whole seeds in hot oil or ghee for a few seconds before adding other ingredients, or toast them lightly before scattering over bread to release their peppery, toasted-onion aroma.
