Celery seed

Flavour and aroma

intense celery, grassy, bitter, slightly warm. Intense celery, slightly bitter.

Heat

No heat

Forms

whole, ground

How to use it

• use raw

  Use whole in coleslaw dressings, potato salads and pickle brines; use sparingly, about 1/4–1/2 teaspoon per 4 servings, as it turns bitter in excess.

• crush · Dry grinding technique

  Crush in a mortar before adding to rubs, soups and stews, which spreads the flavour more evenly.

• bloom in fat · Tadka (tempering) technique

  For soups, warm in the butter or oil with the onions for 30 seconds before adding liquid.

• Pickles and brines
• Coleslaw and potato salad dressings
• Bloody Mary and tomato juice
• Rubs and sausages

Identifying good quality

Tiny (about 1–1.5 mm), dark brown, ribbed seeds. Rub a few between your fingers: they should smell strongly of celery. Celery salt is ground seed mixed with salt; check the label.

• Not to be confused with Dill seed: Dill seed is larger, flatter and lighter brown.
• Not to be confused with Ajwain: Ajwain is similar in size but smells strongly of thyme, not celery.

Origin and history

Origin: Mediterranean and western Asian wetlands, from wild celery (Apium graveolens).. Grown and used: Most seed for spice is grown in India, with smaller crops in China and France; used mainly in North American and Northern European cooking..

Wild celery was used as a flavouring and medicinal plant in the ancient Mediterranean before the stalk and root vegetables were bred from it. Celery seed and celery salt became standard in American pickling, coleslaw and the Bloody Mary, and in Chicago-style hot dogs.

Commonly told; not firmly documented

In masalas, pastes and sauces

• Homemade tomato ketchupSauce0.5 g per batch