Nigella seeds Black Cumin Seeds plant may have originally been grown in Turkey or Italy, but according to herbal lore has been grown in India for several millennia. Kalonji black cumin seeds is both flavoring, added to a variety of traditional foods, and an herbal remedy that has been touted as the magic bullet for a variety of ailments. These are usually triangular, tiny and hairy seeds of no more than 3mm in length and possess a severe pungent smell.