Nigella, or nigella seed, also known as charnushka (from Russian), kalonji in Hindi and kalo jeera in Bengali, is the seed of the Negella sativa plant, which is cultivated worldwide as a seasoning. When fresh ground, it has an aromatic, slightly bitter flavor, that contains similar notes as oregano, browned onion, cumin, and black pepper.
Nigella is used by many cuisines worldwide. Some notable uses include Palestinian qizha paste, Bengali panch phoron spice mix (especially in naan), and in the braided cheese called tresse cheese, jibneh mshallaleh, or majdouleh.
Note that there is frequently confusion about the term "blackseed" with regard to nigella seeds, the Indian spice called shahijeera or "black cumin", and niger seed.