Jakhiya

Sourced directly from the Certified Organic Farmers of Uttarakhand.

Jakhiya or Jakia or Jhakiya or Jakhya ( Cleome viscosa ) is an interesting seed. Also known as wild mustard or dog mustard, the seeds are small, dark brown or black. Actually a weed, it is grown between crops or in multi-cropping patterns. That, of course, does not in any way take away from the magic of these tiny black seeds which are smaller than mustard or sesame. They pack a punch in taste. The Jakhiya seeds are small, dark brown or black.Due to its nutty aroma,it adds unique and crunchy flavour to any dish.

Himalayan Jakhiya from Uttarakhand is a crunchy pahadi herb ingrediant to most uttrakhandi dishes and is used for tempering all types of pahadi cuisines. Jakia works best when teamed with potatoes in curries. It can be used with raw bananas or arbi ( colocasia) too. Jakhiya is allowed to crackle in a spoon or two of oil before being tossed into curries and dals. The flavour it emits when fried in oil is warm and sweet. Jakhiya helps to spice up your vegetables and can also be used as a substitute for jeera. Because of its sharp pungent smell and crunchy taste, people from the hills  prefer jakhiya over cumin and mustard seed for tempering. Leaves of jakhiya are also eaten as substitute for green vegetables in villages.

Jakhiya is a spice which is hard to find in your local supermarket or grocery store. Our fresh Jakhiya has been sourced from the high  forests of the Munsiyari Himalayas where it is cultivated in a totally organic way. As the unique tang and essence of jakhiya has gained popularity, the demand for its seeds has increased in the region and farmers have started paying more attention to the crop. 

Almost all the parts of the plant are used for treating diseases. According to the Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants, published by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in 1991, the plant is used for treating fever, inflammations, liver ailments, bronchitis and diarrhea. The oil extracted from jakhiya seeds has medicinal properties. Fresh oil of crushed seeds is used for treating infantile convulsions and mental disorders. Several published studies have shown that leaves of Cleome viscosa are useful in healing wounds and ulcers.

Shipping - To ensure fresh & pure products are delivered at your doorstep, we procure these directly from the Local farmers/ Women's Self Help Groups in small batches. It therefore sometimes takes 7-21 days for the shipment to get delivered to you depending upon your location.