<P> In English, Nigella sativa and its seed are variously called black - caraway, black - cumin, fennel - flower, nigella, nutmeg - flower, Roman - coriander, and kalonji (from Hindi - Urdu). </P> <P> Blackseed and black caraway may also refer to Bunium persicum . </P> <P> The seeds of Nigella sativa are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines . The black seeds taste like a combination of onions, black pepper and oregano . They have a pungent bitter taste and smell . </P> <P> The dry - roasted seeds flavor curries, vegetables and pulses . It can be used as a "pepper" in recipes with pod fruit, vegetables, salads and poultry . In some cultures, the black seeds are used to flavor bread products . It is also used as part of the spice mixture panch phoron (meaning a mixture of five spices) and by itself in many recipes in Bengali cuisine and most recognizably in naan bread . Nigella is also used in Armenian string cheese, a braided string cheese called majdouleh or majdouli in the Middle East . </P>

Is nigella seed the same as onion seed