ORGANIC - Black cumin

Seeds:  300  / Botanical name:  Nigella sativa

A mild peppery heat with the taste of sesame and anise

The annual black cumin plant bears white and blue flowers and grows to between 30 and 60 centimeters tall. The valuable seeds are contained in capsules that closely resemble poppy seeds. The seed coats develop from the star-shaped flowers. Black cumin has no similarity to caraway or cumin in either appearance or taste. Its flavor is more reminiscent of sesame. Black cumin is a wild herb and tends to spread uncontrollably. Choose a location where you can easily contain its growth.

Natural habitat:  Black cumin originates from the Orient and has been valued there as a medicinal and culinary herb for over 2000 years.

In the kitchen:  When the plant begins to die back from the bottom up starting in late July or early August, and the seed capsules turn brownish, it is ready for harvesting. The ripe black cumin seeds are teardrop-shaped, matte black, and have an anise-like aroma. Spread them out on a cloth to dry further. The seeds have a flavor reminiscent of pepper and anise, making them delicious on bread, with cheese, in salads, and stirred into quark. Black cumin is perhaps best known on Turkish flatbread. When cooking, you can use the seeds to season fish, legumes, and grilled cheese. Curries with lamb and poultry, sauces, and other oriental dishes also benefit from the seeds' distinctive aroma. The seeds can be used whole or ground. Toasting the black cumin seeds briefly in a dry, non-stick pan before use intensifies their flavor. Black cumin seeds should be stored in a cool, dark place in a tightly sealed container.