Ingredient: Mustard (seed)
Category: Herbs, Spices & Seasoning
Season: All
Mustard seeds are the proverbially small seeds of the various mustard plants.
The seeds are about 1 mm in diameter, and may be coloured from yellowish white to black.
They are important spices in many regional cuisines.
The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard (B. nigra), brown Indian mustard (B. juncea), and white or yellow mustard
In the Indian subcontinent, they are often used whole, and are quickly fried in oil until they pop to impart a flavour to the oil.
Cultivation
Mustard seeds generally take 3-10 days to germinate if placed under the proper conditions, which include a cold atmosphere and relatively moist soil. Mustard seeds in fact grow into trees, not shrubs
Mustard grows well in temperate regions .
Major producers of mustard seeds include : Hungary, Great Britain, India, Canada (36%) and the United States.
Brown and black mustard seeds return higher yields than their yellow counterparts
Preparation
Mustard oil can be extracted from the seeds.
The seeds, particularly the white ones, can also be ground into flour , and mixed to a thick paste with a little water to make the condiment mustard.
The ground mustard powder is usually mixed with ordinary flour to reduce the strength of the resulting condiment.
Other ingredients can be used to mix mustard , for example, sugar, honey, vinegar, wine, or milk.
When initially mixed the sauce is mild in flavour , but it develops in time.
Strong mustard has a very powerful (and painful) effect on the nasal membranes if eaten carelessly.
The whole seeds can be soaked in liquid before grinding to create whole grain mustard.
It is possible to buy prepared mustard in many places.
|