Panchpuran

Panchpuran, also known as panchphoron or Bengali five spice, is a traditional spice mixture from Bengal in north-east India. The word panch means ‘five’ in Hindi and, incidentally, is the root word for the alcoholic drink punch, which was made from five ingredients.

The five spices which make up this whole spice (as opposed to ground spice) version of panchpuran are green fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and nigella (kalwanji or kalonji) seeds, a combination with a distinctive flavour.

Panchpuran is often used to flavour dals, simply fried in oil or ghee to bring out its aromas, then poured hot into the dal, to which it adds textural interest as well as taste. It is a core spice in Bengali cooking, traditionally used with vegetables and pulses, to which it adds a characteristically Bengali flavour.

Ingredients: Fenugreek, kalwanji seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds. Contains mustard.