Nigella Seeds (Habbet al Baraka)

Nigella seeds, known in Arabic as habbet al baraka and often called black seed or black cumin, are the small, matte black seeds of the Nigella sativa plant. They have a slightly bitter, peppery flavour with a hint of onion. In Lebanese and wider Middle Eastern kitchens they are sprinkled over ka'ak, bread and savoury pastries, mixed into white cheeses, and added to pickles and spice blends. Some people also steep them in hot water as an herbal infusion, sometimes with honey or other herbs. At Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf, nigella seeds are sold by weight. As a package-free shop, Dekenet Al Nes encourages customers to bring their own jars or containers and take only the amount they need, which helps cut plastic waste and single-use packaging.