Sweet and Savory Dishes Featuring Panch Phoron

Roshni Kavate (on the left) with her mother Usha Divate. Photo courtesy of Michael Kavate
Savory Lemonade (top right) and Panch Phoron Raspberry Sauce (bottom right).
Photos courtesy of Roshni Kavate

Our recent newsletter featured a recipe for Brussels sprouts flavored with panch phoron, a bittersweet and aromatic five-spice whole-seed spice blend used in Bangladesh, Eastern India, and Southern Nepal, which typically consists of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel seeds in equal parts. We learned that panch phoron is also delicious with fruit, so we’ve added the following recipes from nurse, nutritionist, cook, and world traveler Roshni Kavate and Alembique Apothecary owner Babak Nahid.

Panch Phoron Raspberry Sauce

6 ounces raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed panch phoron

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 1o minutes, or until berries break down and the sauce slightly thickens. Cool and then serve over ice cream or other dessert. If not using immediately, store sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Savory Lemonade

1 cup lemon juice
2 cups water
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon panch phoron
6 mint leaves

Combine all ingredients in a blender, saving a few small sprigs of mint as garnish. Chill and then serve as is or over ice.