Panch phoron

Panch phoron is a whole spice blend, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used especially in the cuisine of Bangladesh, Eastern India and Southern Nepal. The name literally means "five spices" in Bengali (pãch phoṛon), Maithili (paanch phorana), Nepali (padkaune masala), Assamese (pas phoṛôn), and Odia (pancha phutana).

Panch phoron

Panch phoron
Type	Spice blend
Region or state	Indian subcontinent
Main ingredients	Fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed
Ingredients generally used	Radhuni
Similar dishes	Chinese five-spice powder

Pancha-Phutana in frying pan

All of the spices in panch phoron are seeds. Typically, panch phoron consists of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts.[1] Some cooks prefer to use a smaller proportion of fenugreek seeds, because of their mildly bitter taste.[2]

In Bengal, panch phoron is sometimes made with radhuni instead of mustard seed. In the West, where radhuni may be hard to obtain, some cooks substitute the similar-tasting celery seed.[3]

Unlike most spice mixes, panch phoron is always used whole and never ground. Traditionally, panch phoron is used with vegetables, chicken or mutton curry, fish, lentils, shukto (a mix of cooked vegetables topped with a coconut sauce) and in pickles.[2]

In the tradition of Odia, Maithili cuisine, Nepali cuisine, and Bengali cuisine, panch phoron is typically fried in mustard oil or ghee, which causes it to immediately begin popping. This technique is known as "tempering". After tempering, other ingredients are added to the fried spices to be coated in the mixture.