Kalonji used in food recipes

Unlike Kalonji’s (Caraway’s) several benefits in preventing and curing various diseases, kalonji seeds and kalonji oil are popularly used in food recipes as an important spice not only in India and Pakistan but also in the Middle East. In Middle East countries, Hummus cooked with chicken-peas or other beans includes in it a spoonful of Kalonji as a spice. Hummus is popularly relished not only by local residents but also by other immigrants. Kalonji is also an important ingredient used in pickle (known as Achaar in India and Pakistan) especially the pickle of mango, lemon, green chillies. Kalonji is also said to be used for preserving expensive clothing from insect damage.

“Known as Kalonji in Hindi and Kalo jeera in Bengali, Nigella is used in India and the Middle East as a spice and condiment and occasionally in Europe as both a pepper substitute and a spice. It is widely used in Indian cuisines for its smoky, pungent aroma.

A very simple recipe with Nigella seeds is the Alu-Charchari, a quick stir fry of potatoes.

Some of the recipes I have blogged where Kalonji is used for tempering are:
Piyajkolir Tarkari
Fish Curry on a Winter Noon
Musuri'r Dal with Kalonji
Shorshe Dharosh or Okra in Mustard Sauce
Doi-Ilish
My Spice

Following are Jeenas recipes using Kalonji Seeds. The Website of Jeenas contains, in addition, contains delicious and dainty dishes and will benefit a lot for the food lovers.

Chicken Biryani Recipe
Arabic Beef Rice Recipe
Roasted Vegetables Recipe
Lamb Keema Bulgar Wheat
Jeenas blog also mentions varied health benefits of Kalonji reproduced below:

Kalonji seeds have been know to have many healing properties including migraine, chronic colds, palpitations, alopecia, asthma, bee stings, paralysis, amnesia, skin disorders, facial palsy, earache and respiratory diseases.

Kalonji is also known to benefit the stomach due to anti-bacterial properties

Cold pressed Kalonji oil can help with dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis and has benefits to the scalps and joints through massage.

Kalonji seeds are an expectorant.

They are also known to be beneficial for respiratory problems and are anti-inflammatory.:

jeenaskitchen

Kalonji Oil

Like Kalonji tea, Kalonji oil (Caraway, Black Seed) is popularly known for its manifold uses. Its therapeutic (medicinal) use has made it as one of the most widely used herbs in the Muslim world, as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has recommended it’s used for curing all diseases except death. He (PBUH) Himself used to take it as medicine with honey. Kalonji is also used as pickle in India and Pakistan and the Arabian world. In Indian Pakistan and Arabian cuisine it is also popularly used as a food recipe as an important ingredient of spices. A few drops (four or five) or half tea soon of Kalonji oil are mostly taken mixed in warm water for helping to cure several diseases. Mixing honey in it gives an added advantage. Diabetics should, however, avoid taking honey and should take only Kalonji oil. In few diseases kalonji oil is also rubbed on the forehead (for headache), rubbed on head for falling hair and other hair diseases, a drop or two inserted in the ear for ear-ache, etc. Though Kalonji is recommended to be used for curing several diseases except plague, in general Kalonji oil is recommended for curing following ailments. The list will become much longer if taken with other ingredients. But since the purpose of this blog is to recommend easy to use, inexpensive and mostly available domestic totaka (tip, it is hoped it will suffice for the time being.

Headache, migraine: Rub Kalonji oil on the head and forehead. Drink ten drops of kalonji oil along with one teaspoon honey.

Digestion: Ajwain 4 tola, Six drops of kalonji oil, drench them in lemon and let it dry in the sun. Take a chutki after every meal.

Obesity: Drink four drops of Kalonji oil with one lemon three times a day. Continue this practice for at least a couple of months.

General Weakness: Take four drops of Kalonji Oil along with one teaspoon hone three times a day for at least one month.

Falling Hair: Rub kalonji oil on the head daily and take half spoon kalonji oil three times a day.

Kidney Stone and urinary bladder stone: Take ten drops of Kalonji oil along with one teaspoon honey after dinner.

Stomach Pain: Take ten drops of Kalonji Oil mixed in warm water, with little salt.

Strengthening of Stomach: Take one glass of apple juice, add ten drops of kalonji oil, add little cumin (zeera or jeera), Black pepper, salt and drink daily for at least fifteen days.

Worms: Drink Half spoon crushed Kalonji seeds adding two drops of Kalonji Oil and 11 drops of Vinegar.

Asthma: Take some Kalonji oil, add Desi Ghee and little salt and rub it on throat and chest. Also take half teaspoon kalonji oil with two table spoons of honey.

Asthma, Breathing Problem: Mix salt, Kalonji along with Desi Ghee and rub on chest and throat. Take 12 drops of kalonji oil, add half teaspoon of honey and drink.

Epilepsy (Mirgee), Paralysis:Drink two teaspoons of Kalonji oil along with one teaspoon honey after mixing in warm water twice a day.

Teeth/Gums Ache: Take one drop each of Kalonji Oil and Clove Oil, mix it and rub it on the teeth.

Teeth whitening: Grind salt and burn it, add ten drops each of kalonji oil and mustard oil and rub it on the teeth.

Strengthening Memory Power and forgetfulness: Grind half teaspoon, add one teaspoon honey and ten drops of kalonji oil and drink daily for about one month. Suck three/ four pieces of Dar Cheeni daily.

You may also take 30 grams of cream (butter) adding one spoon of brown sugar and half tea spoon kalonji oil.

Diabetes (Sugar): Drink one cup of warm water after adding one tea spoon of Kalonji oil in it, Continue taking it for least one month.

Lever weakness: Drench Ajowan (Ajwain) one tola in water let it remain under the sun during day time and under the dew at night time. Next day drink its water adding six drops of kalonji.

Urine Burning: Take 250 grams of milk add eight drops of kalonji oil and one table spoon of honey.

Hiccup: Add half teaspoon kalonji seeds and six drops of kalonji oil in warm water and drink.

Skin diseases: Acne (pimples). Take half tea spoon of Kalonji Oil, mix it with one cup of vinegar and rub it on the affected places. Also continued this process in the case of other skin diseases.

Skin Diseases (Baras): Take half tea spoon kalonji oil and apply on the affected areas before going to bed. Wash body with soft soap next morning.