Seeds
Cumin, coriander, mustard, fennel, nigella and sesame: small and hard, toasted whole or ground fresh.
Seeds are the most common form of spice. Cumin, coriander, mustard, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and sesame are all seeds, kept whole for months and ground or toasted when needed.
What they are
A spice seed is the dried ripe seed of a plant, often from the carrot, mustard or legume families. Some, such as cumin and fennel, are really dry fruits that hold a seed, but they are sold and used as seeds. Their oils sit inside a hard coat, which is why whole seeds keep their aroma well.
How they are used
Cooks toast seeds in a dry pan, fry them in hot oil or ghee in a tempering, or grind them into powder. Mustard seeds pop in hot oil, cumin turns nutty, and coriander becomes sweeter when toasted. Seeds are also pressed for oil, as with mustard and sesame.
Buying and keeping
Buy whole seeds and grind small amounts. Keep them in a closed jar away from light and heat. They keep their character for a year or more, while ground seed fades within months. A good seed smells strong when rubbed between the fingers.
Seed on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 5 moreMustard
A pungent paste made from ground mustard seeds mixed with liquid and spices.Paste 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Hot and fiery
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 2 moreMahleb
A ground cherry seed used to sweeten Middle Eastern baked goods with an almond-cherry note.Seed 路 Sweet and mellow 路 Bitter
馃嚬馃嚪 Turkey and 5 moreBlack cumin
The tiny black seed of a wild annual flower, used across the Middle East and South Asia.Seed 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
馃嚞馃嚜 Georgia and 1 moreBlue fenugreek醿ａ儶醿儩 醿♂儯醿溼償醿氠儤
The blue-flowered annual herb that seasons Georgian stews and Swiss cheeseSeed 路 Earthy and deep 路 Bitter
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreFenugreek丨賱亘丞 (hilba)
The cuboid seed of an annual legume, prized for its bitter warmth and maple aroma.Seed 路 Bitter 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Black cumin: AndreHolz at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Blue fenugreek: Flyout, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mahleb: Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Public domain, source
- Mustard: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fenugreek: Yak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source