Shahi jeera (black cumin)

Flavour and aroma

sweetish, earthy, gentle, faintly smoky. Sweetish, earthy and less bitter than cumin.

Heat

No heat

Forms

whole

How to use it

• bloom in fat · Tadka (tempering) technique

  Add to ghee over medium heat and stir for 10–15 seconds until fragrant, then add the rice or onions. It scorches faster than cumin.

• dry roast · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) technique

  For garam masala, add it to the pan only for the last minute of roasting, over low heat.

• Bloomed in ghee for biryani and pulao rice
• Mughlai and Kashmiri meat dishes
• Shahi garam masala and biryani masala

Identifying good quality

Thin, dark brown to almost black, curved seeds, slimmer than cumin. Caraway sold as shahi jeera is lighter brown and a little plumper.

• Not to be confused with Caraway seeds: Caraway is lighter brown and larger; often sold under this name.
• Not to be confused with Cumin seeds: Cumin is paler, straighter and earthier.
• Not to be confused with Nigella seeds: Also called kala jeera; nigella is angular and tastes of onion.

Origin and history

Origin: Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and the western Himalaya, including Kashmir.. Grown and used: Collected wild and grown in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh..

Shahi ('royal') jeera is associated with the court cooking of the Mughals and with Kashmiri and Afghan food. It flavours biryani rice, kormas and shahi garam masala. Its high price means caraway is often sold in its place.

Commonly told; not firmly documented