Panch Phoron (Bengali Five-Spice Blend)

Panch Phoron is a whole spice blend from Eastern Indian Cuisine that provides a medley of flavors to the dish. Making this spice mix takes less than five minutes and does not require roasting or grinding!

Panch Phoron is a mix of five spices, one of the essential spice blends of Bengali cuisine. This spice blend is simple but colorful, making the dishes aromatic and tempting!

Jump to:

• What is Panch Phoron?
• Easy and Flavorful Panch Phoron Spice Blend
• Why You Will Love To Make Panch Phoron
• Ingredients and Notes
• How To Make Bengali Five-Spice Blend
• Storing Suggestions
• More Homemade Spice Blends
• Recipe Card

What is Panch Phoron?

Panch Phoron, also known as Paanch Phoron, Panch Phoran, and Panch Phutana, is a whole spice blend. It is used in the cuisine of eastern Indian states like West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and neighboring Nepal and Bangladesh. Panch Phoron literally means five tempting spices in equal portions. These spices are cumin seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds (or radhuni), fenugreek seeds, and fennel seeds.

Easy and Flavorful Panch Phoron Spice Blend

I was skeptical about the taste and flavors when I first made this spice blend and used it for the recipe. Making Panch Phoron is super quick and straightforward and does not need roasting, but I was super amazed when I used this blend to make Panch Phoron Potatoes.

This simple spice mix makes the dish aromatic, tempting, nutty, and absolutely delicious. Each spice contributes a specific flavor to the blend, creating magic together.

When we add a spice blend to the hot oil, the spices splutter and crackle, releasing their wonderful aroma and flavors into the oil and, eventually, into the whole dish.

Panch Phoran is a mix of five spices, typically made of equal parts of each seed. However, there are some variations depending on which region this spice blend is used in. For example, radhuni is used instead of mustard seeds in some areas.

Some may like to reduce the fenugreek seed ratio to avoid too much bitterness. In this case, you can use one or the other ingredient in less quantity, though I highly recommend trying the same proportion of each element.

This spice mix can be used for many dishes, such as potato curries, dry potato sabji, stir-fried vegetables, etc. I have used 1 tablespoon of each spice in this recipe, but you can make it with less quantity by 1 teaspoon of each element. Or, scale up the recipe and make a big batch of spice mix as required.

Ingredients and Notes

• Cumin Seeds (Jeera): Cumin seeds have a warm, earthy flavor and aroma with a bit of both bitterness and sweetness. When these seeds are added to the hot oil at the start of the dish, the flavor infuses the oil and then the rest of the ingredients. Roasting the cumin seeds without oil using a dry pan over low-medium heat makes them highly flavorful. They are rich in antioxidants and helpful in dealing with digestive problems and controlling blood sugar levels.
• Black or Brown Mustard Seeds (Rai): For Panch Phoron, we need black or brown mustard seeds, not yellow ones. These seeds are spicy, nutty, and pungent in flavor and aroma. Black or Brown mustard seeds are widespread in Indian cooking. They are often used for tempering and pickling. These tiny seeds are suitable for the digestive and respiratory systems.
• Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Dana): Fenugreek seeds are predominantly bitter, with a deep, sweet undertone. Methi seeds have many health benefits, including digestive health and reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because these seeds are bitter, you can add them in a decreased ratio compared to other seeds.
• Fennel Seeds (Saunf): These seeds have a wonderfully licorice-like flavor and are helpful in digestion. They are also packed with nutrients. So, they are used as mouth fresheners after lunch or dinner in India. Fennel seeds provide a sweet and floral flavor and taste to the dish.
• Nigella Seeds (Kalonji): In India, these small, black nigella seeds are known as Kalonji. Nigella seeds are hard and crunchy with a flavor like toasted onions. However, they have no relationship with onions. They are dry-roasted in India and used in flatbreads like Naan. They can also be used in tempering and are particularly good with potatoes and root vegetables.

How To Make Bengali Five-Spice Blend

• Take one tablespoon of each seed and place them in a bowl or a glass jar.
• If you want to make it in smaller quantities, you can take your own measurements.
• For example, you can take only a teaspoon of each seed instead of one tbsp.

• Mix well, and the Panch Phoron is ready.
• If you do not like the bitterness of fenugreek seeds, you can add 2 teaspoon of them instead of a tbsp.
• Store the spice blend in an airtight container or jar and place it in a cool, dry place.
• Use Panch Phoron as required for the recipe. Generally, Panch Phoron is tempered in hot oil to release the flavors, and then other ingredients are added.

More Homemade Spice Blends

Recipe Card