How to use black cumin oil - top 5 best recipes

To know how to use black cumin oil correctly, you need to understand which spices and dishes are best used with it, which ones it is not, and also consider several recipes using this product.

The homeland of black cumin (nigella) is the Far East, but today this spice is used in almost all countries of the world. Nigella, obtained by cold pressing black cumin seeds, is no less popular. It is actively used in cosmetology, cooking and medicine, since the main component of cumin, thymoquinone, has pronounced anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, antibacterial and analgesic properties.

Where is black cumin oil added?

Typically, the product in question is used for cosmetic and medical purposes, and seeds are more often used in cooking.As a seasoning, it is added to salads, meat dishes, sauces, marinades for poultry, lamb, and pork.

What can't be combined with

Important: Cumin oil has a pronounced taste and aroma, so you need to add it to food during the cooking process very carefully so as not to spoil the taste of the dish.

Although the seasoning goes well with most other spices and foods, it should not be added to fish dishes or mixed with saffron.

When frying, salting or preparing marinades for trout, salmon, pink salmon, hake, pollock and other types of fish, you must use some other seasonings.

One of the most unfortunate combinations of cumin oil is considered to be dishes that contain vanilla.

Best combinations with other spices

Anyone who wants to introduce black cumin oil into their diet is recommended to combine it with the following spices and products:

• black pepper;
• fennel;
• honey;
• anise;
• cinnamon;
• cumin;
• carnation;
• Dill seeds;
• garlic.

You can also try combining nigella with turmeric, nutmeg, ginger root or basil.

Cumin oil adds piquancy to soups, vegetable dishes and salads, and baked goods. When dressing salads, it should be taken into account that in order to soften the bitter taste and the specific taste of cumin, it is recommended to dilute it with olive or sunflower oil.

Compound

Black cumin oil contains a huge amount of useful substances, due to which this product is actively used as a medicine and cosmetic product.

So, it contains the following substances:

• vitamins of group B, A, C, E, B, PP;
• folic, linoleic, oleic, caprylic, hexadecanoic, tetradecanoic acids;
• calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, selenium, zinc, sodium, magnesium;
• phytosterols;
• tannins;
• alkaloids;
• monosaccharides and polysaccharides;
• triterpene saponins and saponins;
• enzymes.

Smell and taste of spices

Black cumin oil has a distinct, strong, and somewhat pungent taste. Some people believe that in its pure form this product tastes like a chemical solvent. This is due to the fact that it contains high quantities of essential oils, phytosterols, and tannins.

In appearance, the product is a greenish-brown liquid that has an astringent, tart taste and a spicy, rather pungent aroma.

It is believed that Ethiopian oil has the sharpest aroma and taste, which is so sharp and pungent that it burns the mucous membranes and takes away your breath. Nigella obtained from seeds grown in Syria has the mildest aroma and taste. Royal cumin oil also has a mild taste.

Sometimes manufacturers divide the oil into fatty and essential. This purified product has a neutral taste, but it does not contain the beneficial substances that are contained in the original, natural black cumin oil.

How to Choose Good Quality Black Seed Oil

Nigella is a very effective remedy that helps strengthen the immune system, stimulates metabolic processes and has an overall beneficial effect on health. Since there are currently a huge number of black cumin oils on sale from different manufacturers, many people wonder: how to choose a good quality product?

When choosing a nigella, the following criteria must be taken into account:

1. Manufacturer country.
2. Compound.
3. Quality of packaging.
4. Method of making the product.
5. Oil cost and manufacturer's brand.

Manufacturer country

One of the most significant selection criteria is the country of origin. Depending on climatic conditions and place of growth, the composition of black cumin oil may vary, which affects its properties. To figure out which manufacturer is better, you should study the features of products manufactured in each country.

Ethiopia

The seeds grown in Ethiopia contain the least amount of moisture compared to other types of black cumin.

Distinctive features of nigella, which is made from Ethiopian seeds, are:

• the content of essential oils in the composition is 2-3%;
• this product contains the largest amount of thymoquinion - from 2 to 4%;
• nigella has a yellow-brown color, and the shade can vary from lighter to darker or black;
• Ethiopian cumin oil is the most bitter, has a pungent aroma and taste;
• The product is suitable for both external and internal use.

India

Indian black cumin oil is considered the most popular and in demand in markets around the world, including Russia. This is explained by the fact that this product is produced in India in huge volumes and, accordingly, costs less than analogues from other countries.

The main characteristics of the Indian nigella include:

• has a mild taste, the aroma of black cumin is not too pronounced in the product. There is practically no bitterness in it;
• the content of essential oils in the composition is 0.2-0.5%;
• ideal for use for cosmetic purposes;
• can be used to treat not only adults, but also children;
• Indian nigella is ideal for use in cooking.

Syria

Seeds from Syria are not inferior in popularity to Indian and Ethiopian ones. You can recognize the product by the following characteristics:

• the consistency is of medium density;
• has a rather mild taste and aroma, due to which it is most often used by Egyptian manufacturers;
• has not too pronounced notes of bitterness;
• Despite the mild taste and aroma, the seeds contain a sufficient amount of useful substances, which gives the oil pronounced medicinal properties.

Egypt

The product, made from Egyptian black cumin seeds, has a dark brownish color, a pronounced cumin taste, and can burn the mucous membranes when used internally.

It is noteworthy that Egyptian manufacturers often use seeds grown in other countries - Ethiopia, Syria, Saudi Arabia - to make nigella.

Türkiye

The product has a rather mild taste and aroma, is light in color and, compared to seeds from other countries, contains a smaller amount of essential oils and other beneficial substances. Accordingly, in terms of usefulness, such a product is somewhat inferior to products made from Ethiopian, Indian, Egyptian, and Syrian seeds.

Saudi Arabia

In terms of their properties, the seeds resemble raw materials grown in Syria. The oil made from such cumin has medium bitterness and consistency, and has a mild taste and aroma. Products based on cumin, which grows in Saudi Arabia, are suitable for people who cannot stand the strong taste and aroma of Ethiopian varieties, but still want to get the maximum benefit from use.

Cumin is also grown in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and some other countries, however, products obtained from such raw materials are noticeably inferior in quality to varieties made from cumin from countries with hot, arid climates.

Advice: When choosing nigella, it is recommended to give preference to products from companies whose production is located close to the place where the raw materials are grown.

How to choose by composition, quality, price

Compound

When choosing, you need to take into account that on sale there are both oils made 100% from one type of cumin seeds, and mixed options, for example, a mixture of Syrian and Ethiopian seeds.

One of the most popular types of black cumin oil on the market, Royal, contains 70% Syrian cumin and 30% Ethiopian seeds.

Some manufacturers add coconut extracts, garlic, fish oil and other ingredients.

Packaging quality

It is best to buy the product in dark glass, which protects it from sunlight and thereby prevents spoilage. It is advisable that the packaging have security elements (embossing, hologram, thermal film). This will help you avoid buying a fake.

The packaging must contain information about the expiration date and date of manufacture of the product. Typically, its shelf life is 2 years, but this figure may vary depending on the presence of additional components in the product or the method of its manufacture.

Preparation method

Nigella is obtained by cold pressing or extraction. The latter method involves the use of base oil and cumin extract, which is infused with olive or sesame oil, if we are talking about Arab producers. In Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, sesame seeds are infused with sunflower oil, which reduces the cost of the final product and quality.

The cold-press method is based on pressing seeds at low temperatures, which helps preserve the maximum amount of nutrients.

Black cumin oil obtained by cold pressing is the most valuable and useful, but its cost is significantly higher compared to the product obtained by extraction.

Company value and brand

The cheapest oils include Uzbek, Kazakh, Indian, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Polish. Their average cost does not exceed 1000 rubles. for 100 ml.

Among the most popular brands that produce low-cost oils are:

• Vivio (Poland);
• El Hawag (Türkiye);
• MD (Ukraine);
• Hemani Premium (Pakistan);
• El Hawag (Egypt).

The most expensive oils are produced using high-quality, modern equipment and selected seeds rich in thymoquinone. Their cost, as a rule, exceeds 2500 rubles. for 100 ml.

Companies specializing in the production of high-quality expensive oils:

• Bionatal (Ethiopia);
• Shifa (Ethiopia);
• El Karnak (Egypt);
• Royal El Hawag (Syria);
• El Baraka (Egypt).

TOP 5 most popular recipes with black cumin oil

Adding this valuable product to various dishes and its regular use will increase immunity, improve the condition of the central nervous system, kidneys, skin, hair, joints, varicose veins, get rid of edema, gastrointestinal diseases and many other health problems.

1. Hungarian goulash with beef

Ingredients:

• beef 0.5 kg;
• potatoes - 0.5 kg;
• onions, carrots, bell peppers - 1 pc.;
• tomato paste - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• black cumin oil - 5 ml;
• vegetable oil - 20 ml;
• paprika - 1 tbsp. spoon;
• salt - to taste;
• water - 1 l.

Pour vegetable and cumin oil into a thick-bottomed pan, heat over heat and add chopped meat, onions, carrots and garlic. Lightly fry, add tomato paste, paprika and 300 ml of water.Mix all ingredients well and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.

Then add potatoes, bell peppers and diced potatoes and pour in the remaining water. Cook the goulash for 10 minutes, then add salt.

2. Tomato and avocado salad

• 1 PC. -avocado;
• 3 pcs. - tomato;
• 1 PC. - onions;
• 0.5 pcs. -lemon;
• 1 tbsp. spoon - olive oil;
• 2-3 drops of black cumin oil;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Remove the peel from the avocado, cut the pulp into cubes and pour in lemon juice, mixing thoroughly. Place the onion cut into rings in boiling water for a few seconds and place in a colander to drain.

Peel the tomatoes and cut them into slices. Combine all ingredients, season with olive and caraway oil, salt, pepper and mix.

3. Lamb with rice

• 400 gr. lamb;
• 0.5 cups rice;
• 1.5 cups black beans;
• 1 piece each chili pepper and bell pepper;
• 2 tomatoes;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 onion;
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 0.5 teaspoons of black cumin oil;
• 0.5 teaspoon of cumin seeds;
• 0.5 teaspoons of sage;
• 1 teaspoon basil;
• 3 pcs. bell pepper;
• salt to taste.

Pour vegetable oil into a cauldron, add finely chopped lamb. Fry until golden brown.

In a separate frying pan, fry the onion, cut into rings, bell pepper, finely chopped garlic, chili pepper and tomatoes. Then add the sage, basil, oil and cumin seeds, and black pepper. Simmer the contents of the pan over low heat for 10 minutes, then combine with the fried lamb.

Add rice, beans and 200-300 ml of water. Stirring occasionally, cook the dish for 3 hours.

4. Milk-honey cocktail

• 200 ml milk;
• ¼ teaspoon of black cumin oil;
• Art. spoon of honey.

Add honey and butter to milk at room temperature, mixing all ingredients thoroughly.

5. Marinade for pork

• 1 kg - pork;
• 1 tbsp. spoon of chili sauce;
• 1 tbsp. spoon - balsam;
• 3 tbsp. spoons - soy sauce;
• 3 teeth - garlic;
• 1 tbsp. spoon - honey;
• ¼ teaspoon - black cumin oil;
• 1 teaspoon - sea salt.

Combine chili sauce, balsamic, soy sauce, cumin oil, pressed garlic and honey in a bowl. Mix everything thoroughly.

Cut the pork into medium-sized pieces and place them in a container with marinade for 2 hours. The meat can then be baked in the oven, on a barbecue or grill.

Correctly selected oil and its correct dosage will give an unforgettable taste to the dish. But if you add too much or buy a low-quality product, you can ruin even the best products.