The Kalonji/Nigella Experiment

[Yorky]

I am pretty certain I have celery seeds, but I will double check.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Is it possible you used ajwain seeds? It is the only thing I can think of that is that small and slightly greener than kalonji seeds.

 

[Yorky]

Is it possible you used ajwain seeds? It is the only thing I can think of that is that small and slightly greener than kalonji seeds.

I don't have any. Never had a use for them.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Ahh, shame because they look almost identical and with turmeric they would be greenish... They pop up in Indian cookery quite a bit.

Size is an A5 notebook.

 

[Morning Glory]

This is a very poor photo I'm afraid. I soaked the seeds for several hours in turmeric and water to see what difference it made to colour. To the naked eye the ones that most resembled the green seeds in @Yorky 's dish were the green cardamom - they were more the right shape (plumper and squarer) and greenish. But I think if @Yorky had used that many cardamom he would most certainly remember de-podding them! Might be an interesting dish to try though.The fennel seeds took on a similar colour to the ones in Yorky's photo but are too large and the wrong shape.

Clockwise from the top kalonji, fennel, aijwan,cardamom.

 

[Yorky]

I don't think that I've ever "de-podded" green cardamoms - I just usually snip the ends off. I've de-podded blacks though but I normally left that to my ex mother-in-law.

 

[Morning Glory]

I don't think that I've ever "de-podded" green cardamoms - I just usually snip the ends off. I've de-podded blacks though but I normally left that to my ex mother-in-law.

Why do you snip the ends off?

 

[Yorky]

Why do you snip the ends off?

Because Madhur told me to do so.

 

[Morning Glory]

Because Madhur told me to do so.

So is it to shake out the seeds - or are you putting pods in whole?

 

[Yorky]

So is it to shake out the seeds - or are you putting pods in whole?

The pods go in whole. One has to assume that the liquid has access to the seeds during the cooking process. I take the pods out before serving or ensure that they are isolated during consumption. They are very bitter if you bite into one.

I believe I do have a little used recipe where the full pods are ground to a powder but I cannot remember for which dish.

 

[Morning Glory]

I do put them in whole and don't remove them. I hadn't noticed the bitterness - they look quite attractive too. But I think we have established that the green seeds aren't cardamom despite the shape being similar. I'm stumped.

 

[Yorky]

I'm stumped.

I think we should consider it to be one of the mysteries of the universe which will never be solved. Like the number 42.

 

[Morning Glory]

Its going to haunt me.

 

[Morning Glory]

What's the visual equivalent of an ear worm? Eye worm doesn't sound right!