Nigella, kalonji, onion seeds...

[carswell]

In the glossary of Indian Essence, Atul Kochhar writes:

Nigella seeds

Mild, slightly peppery, black seeds used as a spice in Inidan cooking. Nigella seeds look like onion seeds but have a different flavour.

In her Encyclopedia of Asian Food, Charmaine Solomon writes:

Nigella

(Nigella sativa) SEE ILLUSTRATION. The small, peaked, jet-black Nigella sativa seed is hard to mistake for any other spice, yet there is considerable confusion because of the colloquial name given it in Hindi. In India it is known both as kalonji (which is the Hindi name for nigella) and kala zeera. Although 'kala zeera' translates as 'black cumin', there is another spice which more justly bears that name since it is a member of the botanical family to which cumin belongs. Nigella is sometimes wrongly called wild onion seed, black onion seed or, simply, onion seed.

The kalonji entry in Ms. Solomon's encyclopedia says "See NIGELLA." There is no onion seed entry.

Yet most Montreal spice mongers, including the East Indians, sell packages labelled "Kalonji (onion seed)." Come to think of it, I don't recall ever seeing nigella labelled as such. Based on Ms. Salomon's description and illustration, I'd guess my bag of "kalonji (onion seed)" is nigella, though Mr. Kochhar's second sentence sows the, er, seeds of doubt. Is there any way I can tell without paying Monica's round-trip passage from DC? Are onion seeds even used in Indian cooking? If so, when? (I'm pretty sure I've seen them called for in recipes, but perhaps the authors meant nigella?) And if onion seeds aren't called kalonji or nigella, what are they called?

[bong]

According to Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages, Kalonji=Nigela=Onion Seed. Same thing.

It is called "Onion Seed", but it is actually not the seed of an onion plant. Perhaps that is what Mr Kochhar meant.

[Episure]

Sorry Monica,

Carswell, here is a big picture. It's the stuff that is usually sprinkled on Nans. It looks like black sesame seed, matt black with flattish facets.

[Laksa]

How does one pronounce Nigella? Could the incredibly spicy Nigella Lawson have been named after this seed, I wonder. I'd just assumed that her name was like the feminine form of Nigel.

[carswell]

Could the incredibly spicy Nigella Lawson have been named after this seed, I wonder.  I'd just assumed that her name was like the feminine form of Nigel.

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Ms. Lawson is named after her father, Nigel.

Miriam-Webster gives the pronunciation as NEE-gel-uh (my transliteration), though the store clerks I've talked to all pronounce it like Ms. Lawson's first name. MW defines it as "any of a genus (Nigella) of the buttercup family having dissected threadlike leaves and usually blue or white flowers; especially Love-in-a-mist."

[carswell]

Carswell, here is a big picture. It's the stuff that is usually sprinkled on Nans. It looks like black sesame seed, matt black with flattish facets.

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Thanks, Episure. That looks like my kalonji and the nigella illustration in Ms. Solomon's book. But bearing in mind Mr. Kochhar's dictum ("Nigella seeds look like onion seeds"), would you happen to have a picture of black onion seeds?

[carswell]

According to Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages, Kalonji=Nigela=Onion Seed. Same thing.

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Thanks for the link, bong. I assume Katzer is referring to popular names when he equates nigella and onion seeds, because botancially they are not related (Nigella sativa, a member of the buttercup family, vs. Allium cepa, a member of the lily family).

It is called "Onion Seed", but it is actually not the seed of an onion plant. Perhaps that is what Mr Kochhar meant.

Not how I read his (and others') statements. He says they look the same but taste different. Obviously he's seen and tasted both. I'm increasingly curious as to whether true onion seeds are used in cooking. Katzer and every other reference I've looked at are silent on the subject.

[Episure]

Thanks, Episure. That looks like my kalonji and the nigella illustration in Ms. Solomon's book. But bearing in mind Mr. Kochhar's dictum ("Nigella seeds look like onion seeds"), would you happen to have a picture of black onion seeds?

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Carswell,

I dont have a pic but I located one here:

Perhaps our fellow member and plant physiologist - v. gautam can shine some light(onion bulb! ) on the subject. If he doesnt know then nobody knows.

You must try Kalonji sauted in a little Ghee and drizzled on steamed asparagus...

Edited September 25, 2004 by Episure (log)

[Pan]

How does one pronounce Nigella?

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I say "ni-JEL-uh." Or kalonji.

[bong]

    It is called "Onion Seed", but it is actually not the seed of an onion plant. Perhaps that is what Mr Kochhar meant.

Not how I read his (and others') statements. He says they look the same but taste different. Obviously he's seen and tasted both. I'm increasingly curious as to whether true onion seeds are used in cooking. Katzer and every other reference I've looked at are silent on the subject.

←

But Mr. Katzer is not completely silent on the subject.

* He mentions "Onion Seed" is a synonym for Nigella aka "Kalonji".

* And, on the same page, he also says:

Onion seed (or German Zwiebelsame or Finnish sipulinsiemen) refers to the similarity with the seed of onion plants. The latter, however, are tasteless and cannot be used as a spice.

I agree with him on both points, especially on the first point. I have seen the terms being used interchangeably pretty much everywhere.