Onion Seeds vs Kalonji: Spot the Difference Fast (Video)

Transcript

Can you tell true onion seeds from kalonji in 10 seconds?

Can you tell true onion seeds from kalonji in 10 seconds?

Onion Seeds vs Kalonji

Ever wonder if the black spice on your naan is really onion seed? Stay tuned, because the answer comes at the end, and you’ll learn how to spot it fast.

Different plants

Kalonji comes from Nigella sativa, a tiny blue-flowered plant, while true onion seed is from Allium cepa, the onion we grow. They’re not cousins, they’re different families.

Spot in seconds

You can tell them apart in about ten seconds with a quick crush and sniff, no microscope needed. Just a spoon, a plate, and your nose do the work.

Identify by look & smell

Lay a few on a white plate. Kalonji looks like a tiny wedge with three faces, matte black and peppery when crushed. Onion seed is larger, rounded on one side, almost odorless.

Don't cook with garden seed

Seeds sold for sowing are often coated with fungicide. They’re safe in a garden, not in your dal or naan. Store them separately, out of kids’ reach.

Sprout time

When you plant true onion seed, expect germination in about a week to two weeks under mild weather. Keep the soil damp but not soggy, and give it plenty of light.

Grow spring onions

Fill a 15-centimetre deep pot with loose soil, sow seeds a centimetre deep, space them a few centimetres apart, water gently, and give them five to six hours of sun. Green tops appear before a bulb forms.

The one mistake to avoid

The single biggest error is treating garden onion seed like a spice. Stick to food-grade kalonji, and keep any seed-shop packets far from the kitchen.

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Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.