Panch Phoron

This Bengali spice blend is used whole or in powder form. I tend to keep my blend in the seed form. In Bengal, the mix would contain ‘radhuni’ (wild celery seeds). As these are not so widely available in the West, cooks substitute them with mustard seeds.

Mix equal quantities of:
Cumin seeds
Fennel seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Black mustard seeds or radhuni
Nigella seeds
1 Store the mix in seed form or dry-toast the spices and crush them to a fine powder in a spice mill or using a mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and consume within 6 months if powdered, or within a year if stored in seed form.