Cookbook:Bengali Five-Spice Mix (Panch Puran)

| Cuisine of India | Spices and herbs

Panch Puran (also called Panch Phoran, Panch Phoron, or Bengali Five-Spice Mix) is a spice mixture used in Indian cuisine. It is made of equal parts of five spices:


 * fenugreek seed (methi)
 * nigella seed (kalo jira)
 * mustard seed (rai or shorshe)
 * fennel seed (mouri)
 * cumin seed (jeera)

In some variations, wild onion is used in place of cumin. In other variations, radhuni seed is added to the mixture.

The name simply means "five spices" in Bengali.

In Bengali cuisine, the seeds are usually fried in oil (or ghee), which causes them to start crackling immediately. Vegetables (especially potatoes), dal, or fish are then added. It is not used with meat.