Black onion seeds, also known as Nigella or Kalonji seeds, have a subtle bitter flavour that is most commonly used in Indian or Middle Eastern cuisines, and the distinctive black seeds lend themselves to attractive presentation and plating.

This diverse recipe collection offers many interesting recipes using black onion seeds, from David Everitt-Matthias’ dramatic contrast of the black seeds atop pearly-white scallops, to Laurie Gear’s elaborate and highly technical snail bonbons recipe, which uses the seeds to make a crunchy breadcrumb coating for deep frying.

For more traditional recipes, look no further than Alfred Prasad’s Indian starter recipe for kalonji jhinga (spiced prawns), or Vivek Singh’s marinade for seared black bream with roasted aubergine and kachumber. Anna Hansen adds a twist to a classic Sunday roast lamb recipe, by spicing up her roast potatoes with the addition of black onion seeds in tribute to her Aunty Soss.