Spice Tutorial: Panch Phoron (Indian Food For Dummies)

Panch Phoron, aka Bengali 5 Spice, is a combination of whole spices widely used in Bengali cuisine.
It's typically fried in oil for a minute before adding additional vegetables or meats, in order for the flavors to develop, and to do away with any bitterness. This spice blend adds a depth of flavor to any meal, and is comprised of the 5 flavor components in the Indian lexicon of taste sensations - sweet, sour, bitter, savory, and astringent. This union of scents and spices is highly aromatic, and can transform a simple meal into sophisticated, complex dish.

You can find this combination in your local Indian markets, or you can make it yourself with the recipe below.

Ingredients 

1 tsp fennel seeds (sweet)
1 tsp mustard seeds (sour)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (bitter)
1 tsp cumin seeds (savory)
1 tsp nigella seeds (astringent)