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Nigella seeds

(18 Posts)
kittylester Thu 10-Dec-15 15:08:18

I need some for a recipe and can't track any down round here (though I do have some for the bird feeder!) so what can I use as a substitute in a lamb dish?

granjura Thu 10-Dec-15 15:44:06

poppy seeds?

feetlebaum Thu 10-Dec-15 16:28:07

Tesco advertise Nigella seeds, 45g for 85p.

Nelliemoser Thu 10-Dec-15 16:30:49

They are also sold as "kalonji" seeds used a lot in Asian cooking

www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Nigella-Seed-Black-Kalonji/dp/B004L4XJWM

Try a wholefood shop or a shop selling Asian spices. I could have saved loads of seed heads off mine this year.

Nigella aka "love in a mist."

They have a particular flavour which poppy seeds would not give. You can often find Kalonji/Nigella seeds on naan bread .

But it sounds as of you want them today.

granjura Thu 10-Dec-15 16:32:37

Recipe Kitty?

LullyDully Thu 10-Dec-15 16:34:12

Oh not the ones Novella used in her health breakfast bars!!!!!!?????

kittylester Thu 10-Dec-15 17:25:32

It's a Nigella recipe for lamb ribs slow cooked with the seeds and other things that I've forgotten because I have those in already! I'll look later. I've looked and its cumin, garlic and soy!

Our huge Sainsbury's has a large 'world foods' bit. Unfortunately, I went to the much smaller one!tchsad. Tesco Extra didn't have any even in its 'world' bit. I don't need them until Saturday so I should manage to track some down by then.

merlotgran Thu 10-Dec-15 17:30:03

One word of warning.....Nigella seeds look just like mouse droppings when scattered over the top of flatbreads grin

kittylester Sun 13-Dec-15 16:03:55

So, on Saturday, DH and I trailed round our small town which is not far from Leicester and still couldn't get nigella seeds. In one I asked what I could use as a substitute and was told mustard or onion seeds. I used a mix of the two. Wish I hadn't bothered - we were so disappointed with the finished dish. DH said 'Of course, nigella seeds might have made all the difference!' grin

JessM Sun 13-Dec-15 18:28:57

Maybe you have to search the shelves of the Asian grocer's visually because they will know them by another name? They are little black seeds - often seen on the outside of naan bread. The garden variety are far too expensive as you only get a few in a packet smile
Currently eating yummy ham and yell split pea soup which was made with a packet of yellow split peas from the Asian shop. But called channa of course.
Comedy moment in same store - they had an amazing array of oils. I pointed out to them that it might not be the greatest idea to have "Jasmine hair oil" displayed with the culinary oils smile

thatbags Sun 13-Dec-15 18:58:43

Would onion seed do as a substitute? It's usually easy to get hold of.

kittylester Sun 13-Dec-15 19:24:48

I asked for it by both names and the owner of one of the shops is used to me asking for things I know nothing about - I've been doing it for years since I went to Indian cookery lessons run by a friend - approx 100 years ago! grin

That's what I used mixed with mustard seeds bags - the dish wasn't worth all the effort!

Nelliemoser Sun 13-Dec-15 20:39:23

Don't anyone eat edible flower seeds that are from a packet designed for planting. They could have been treated with all sorts of nasty stuff to stop them from deteriorating.

rosequartz Sun 13-Dec-15 21:16:27

And don't scatter the leftover nigella seeds in your flower beds because they will spread everywhere .....

kittylester Sun 13-Dec-15 21:23:37

Not in my garden, they don't, roses. I can't get them to grow at all! tchconfused

rosequartz Sun 13-Dec-15 21:25:07

Every spring/summer I have to pull them up, they seed everwhere (didn't know I could eat the seeds!)

thatbags Sun 13-Dec-15 21:27:47

I used to let Nigella self-seed in my Oxon garden. There was so much else self-seeding that it wasn't a problem. I don't think it would grow here sad or if it did the deer would probably eat it before it set seed. Hey ho and all that.

JessM Mon 14-Dec-15 07:43:34

Finding a kilo of nigella seeds was once a sub-task in the Apprentice smile