Also known as ‘Kashmiri Cumin’, is often confused with ‘Kalunji (nigella sativa)’.
The seeds are small, dark brown, and crescent shaped, with a sharp, bitter odor. When toasted, the seeds develop a nutty flavor and aroma, which greatly enhances the foods that they are cooked with.
Black cumin seed (Kala jeera) may be baked into breads, added to curry pastes and blends, or steamed with rice to give it a distinctive fragrance, especially in Northern Indian meat and rice dishes.
