KALA JIRA / BLACK CUMIN / CARAWAY SEEDS / ONION SEEDS

Bunium persicum is a plant species in the family Apiaceae. It is related to cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and commonly called "black cumin" and has a smoky, earthy taste. It is often confused with Nigella sativa (which is also called "black cumin"). Authorities differ on whether Bunium bulbocastanum (formerly included in genus Carum), commonly called Great Pignut or Earth Chestnut, is a different but closely related species, or – as it is treated here – a junior synonym of B. persicum.

Dried Bunium persicum fruits are used as a culinary spice in northern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Iran. It is practically unknown outside these areas. The tuber-like root is locally collected for food; the "pignut" or chestnut" names refer to it. Blackseed and Black Caraway may refer to Nigella sativa or Bunium persicum.

Etymology

Local names for that spice are kala zeera (black cumin) or shahi zeera (imperial cumin) in Hindi, as سیاہ زیرہ ("syah zirah", "black cumin"), کالا زیرہ ("kaala zirah", "black cumin") and زيره كوهی ("zirah kuhi", "mountain/wild cumin") in Urdu, زيره كوهی (zireh kuhi, "wild cumin") in Persian and as сиёх дона (siyoh dona, "black seed") in Tajiki.

The commonly used Hindi term shahi zeera may be a distortion of syahi (black in Persian) zeera. However, in the Hindustani Language, the term syahi also means "inky black". In Bengali, kalo zeera also means black cumin, but refers to Nigella, not B. persicum. Nigella is widely used as a spice in Bengali food, while B. persicum is rare.

Growth

The plant grows wild in a wide range from southeastern Europe east to southern Asia. It reaches about 60 centimetres (24 in) tall and 25 centimetres (9.8 in) wide, bearing frilly leaves and hermaphroditic flowers; it is pollinated by insects and self-fertile. The plants from which one can pick Kala Zeera are seen in the higher-elevation region of Drass and Kargil sector in the Leh region and in some parts of Spiti also. The plants are not more than a metre in height and about 60 centimetres in width.