Nigella
The botanical name for the black seed plant, grown in gardens for its flowers and in kitchens for its seeds.
Also: love-in-a-mist, black cumin, Roman coriander, çörek otu
Nigella sativa, the cooking species, has delicate pale blue flowers that give the genus its common name, love-in-a-mist. After flowering, it forms inflated seed capsules filled with small black grains. These are the spice sold as kalonji in India, çörek otu in Turkey and habbat al-barakah in Arabic. Turkish bakers scatter it on simit and pide, Iranians on flatbreads, Bengalis fry it with other seeds. The taste is like a blend of onion, oregano and pepper. Tradition holds it in high esteem across the Islamic world. Common names such as black cumin cause mix-ups, so check the Latin name when you buy.