Ways to Use Nigella Seeds in Your Holiday Cooking
As the holidays approach, we all look forward to digging into delicious food with family and friends. Bonding over meals prepared with immense love is one of our biggest highlights of the holiday season. This holiday season, why not try introducing your palate to some new lesser-known, unique spices? One such intriguing and seldom-used spice is nigella seeds.
Nigella seeds may look black and insignificantly tiny but these mighty little seeds have a beautifully slightly bitter and nutty flavor. Extensively used in Middle Eastern, North African, and Indian cuisines, Nigella seeds can also be referred to as ‘onion seeds’. In taste, it gives off a balanced mix of a toasted poppy seeds, sesame, and onion. With their subtle scent, nigella seeds are a welcome addition to your savory delicacies.
A few ways we recommend to incorporate nigella seeds into your holiday cooking are:
Works as a Striking Garnish
For that much-needed crunch and textural element, liberally sprinkle toasted nigella seeds over salads and stir-fries just before serving. These little black pearls stand out against a contrasting backdrop and add a whole new dimension to the finished dish.
Lends Added Depth of Flavor to Spice Mixes
Nigella seeds combine well with other spices especially cumin, mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds. Toast these seeds lightly before grinding them into a fragrant spice powder. This dry fragrant concoction is a specialty from the Bengal region in India. It works wonders when you want to lend an aromatic touch to both vegetarian and meat recipes.
Livens Up Simple Everyday Meals
Use nigella seeds to elevate all types of lentil and bean dishes and different kinds of root vegetables like butternut squash. Their slight peppery flavour gives these veggie dishes a much-needed punch of aromatic seasoning. Nigella seeds pair exceptionally well with otherwise bland ingredients and lift the flavour of your dishes to the next level.
Bake Bread like Never Before
Add to your baked plain white bread for a flavour and texture lift. The hints of black peeping through make for a unique twist on your average bread loaf. Moreover, the wonderful nutty element of this fascinating spice comes through beautifully when baked along with the bread. Whether you make flatbread, naan, or rye bread, adorning the tops of each with nigella seeds has a magical effect on these baked goodies.
Create Exciting Accompaniments
A delightful accompaniment to your main meal, Nigella Seeds adds a wonderful surprise addition to your pickles, chutneys, or relishes. When added to these condiments, Nigella Seeds not only add an extra kick of flavour and texture but also help to preserve them and extend their shelf like. One very mighty seed jam-packed with opportunities and loaded with healthy properties.
