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| Home > Types of Spices > Seeds
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| | Seed type Spices
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 Seeds are a fertilized ripened ovule, almost always covered with a protective coat. Some spices come in the form of seeds such as [aniseed, caraway, celery, coriander].These spices are used in their original forms to enhance the flavors of certain food items and at times these are grounded and made into a powdered form or a paste and then used. The seeds are also the fruits of that particular plant but because of their tiny size they are referred to as seeds. Some common seeds which are used as spices are as follows:
Ajowan seeds, like other spices, are not viewed nutritionally. They are more known as adjuncts used in small quantities for flavoring numerous foods, as anti-oxidants, as preservatives, or in medicine or for the manufacture of essential oils for ultimate use in perfumery, essences and medicines etc.
Anardana comprises the dried seeds [dried with flesh] of pomegranate fruit. Anardana is mostly used as a condiment for acidification of chutneys and certain curries.
Aniseed possesses a sweet, aromatic taste and emits, when crushed, a characteristic agreeable odor and is used for flavoring food, confectionary, bakery products, beverages, anisette and other liquors. Aniseed has a lot of essential oils aswell.
Caraway is widely used as a spice for culinary purposes and for flavoring bread, biscuits, cakes and cheese.
Celery seed is the dried ripe fruit of the umbelliferous herb. The celery seed is available as whole or ground.
Celeriac seeds are used as alternate to celery, but as such do not fetch the value as high as celery. But it can be used for manufacture of various value added products as cheaper alternate to celery to reduce the price without compromising with basic quality.
Coriander seeds varies, depending upon its country of origin and the agro climatic conditions under which it is grown. The aromatic odor and taste of coriander fruits (seeds) is due to an essential oil.
Cumin or Jeera comprises the dried yellowish to grayish brown seeds of a small slender annual herb of the coriander family, believed to be the native of Egypt, Syria, Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Black cumin is the dried seed like fruit of a small herb about 45 cm in height. The seeds give on steam distillation, a yellowish brown volatile oil with an unpleasant odor.
The Indian Dill is sometimes regarded as a variety of the European Dill.
However, the ripe dried seeds of Indian Dill are longer but less broad than those of the European Dill. Their dorsal ridges are paler in color. Composition of essential oil also
varies.
In India, fennel fruits (seeds as they are known in commerce) are classified for trade purposes according to their place of origin. Some of the well known types are Bombay, Bihar and U.P fennels; seeds from Lucknow are considered to be the best and are priced higher than those from other areas. Commercial samples vary considerably in quality, depending upon the variety or race to which they belong and the care bestowed in harvesting and storing the fruits.
Fenugreek seed contains many substances like protein, starch, sugars, mucilage, mineral matters, volatile oil, fixed oil, vitamins and enzymes. Seeds are rich in essential amino acids.
Mustard is also a type of seed used as a whole spice and as well as paste to flavour curries. Mustard paste is also used as a sauce to add taste to fried dishes. The poppy seeds are utilized as food and as a source of fatty oil. They are considered nutritive and are used in breads, curries, sweets and confectionery. Seeds have a number of medicinal virtues.
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