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.
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 4 moreRock samphire
A coastal succulent with peppery leaves and carrot-scented roots, used fresh or pickled.Leaf 路 Hot and fiery 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreCalifornian white sage
An aromatic desert shrub whose seeds flavour maize foods and roots make tonic teaSeed 路 Herbal and green 路 Sharp and pungent
馃嚘馃嚝 Afghanistan and 5 moreLovage谢褞斜懈褋褌芯泻
A tall European herb with celery-like leaves and spicy seeds used in soups and broths.Leaf 路 Sharp and pungent 路 Herbal and green
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
馃嚠馃嚛 Indonesia and 5 moreAndaliman
A citrus-scented, tongue-numbing seed husk related to Sichuan pepperFruit 路 Numbing and tingling 路 Citrus and bright
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
- Rock samphire: User:Jymm, Public domain, source
- Californian white sage: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Andaliman: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Lovage: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0, source