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Kalo jeera bhorta
কালোজিরা ভর্তা (kalo jeera bhorta): toasted nigella seeds ground with garlic, chilli and mustard oil
A bhorta lunch spread in a Bangladeshi home always has one tiny, dark mound that people eat a pinch at a time, and that is kalo jeera bhorta. Nigella seeds are toasted until fragrant, then ground on the shil-pata, the stone slab and roller, with garlic, roasted dried chilli, onion and mustard oil into a coarse, almost black paste that is nutty, bitter and fiery all at once. Grandmothers serve it in winter, believing it wards off colds, and a little is mixed into the first handful of hot rice before moving on to fish or dal. Burnt seeds make it acrid, so the trap is toasting over too high a heat; stop as soon as they smell toasty and start to pop. Chef's tip: grind the seeds alone first, then add the garlic and oil, for a smoother paste in a small grinder.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp nigella seeds (kalo jeera)
- 6 cloves garlicpeeled
- 1 shallot or small onionroughly chopped
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 2 tbsp waterroughly
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toast 4 tbsp nigella seeds (kalo jeera) in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking, until fragrant and just starting to pop. Tip onto a plate.
4 minStep 2: Toast 4 dried red chillies in the same pan for 1–2 minutes until crisp and a shade darker.
2 minStep 3: Add 1 tsp of the ⅜ tbsp mustard oil to the pan and fry 6 cloves garlic and 1 shallot or small onion for 3 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
3 minStep 4: Grind the nigella to a powder in a spice grinder or on a grinding stone, then add the chillies, garlic, onion, 1 /2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp water and grind to a coarse paste.
3 minStep 5: Mix in the rest of the 1 ⅝ tbsp mustard oil, shape into a small mound and serve with hot rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalo jeera bhorta take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of shallot or small onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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