Welcome to the Celtnet Spice Guide. As this site has grown and many more recipes have been added it's become evident that a guide to the various herbs available to the cook is necessary. With spices becoming more commonly available and more exotic spices becoming available from all over the world it has become evident that some kind of guide or introduction to spices is necessary. These pages are an attempt at bringing all the various culinary spices together into one place so that you can see what's available and perhaps find something new to use in your own cooking. To use this Spice Guide simply click on the first letter of the herb name above or below. Alternativey why not just browse through the guide. All the spices given here, whether common or rare, can be obtained via your local supermarket (or more often via your local Asian supermarket) or via a specialist spice distributor.

This is the description page for Mustard Seeds (Brassica spp) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the herb: Mustard Seeds.

Mustard seeds are the seeds of several plant species (all related to rapeseed) that produce seeds which are used as a spice. They are members of the Brassica family that includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and swedes. The green parts of many mustard plants are eaten as 'mustard greens'.

The word 'mustard' derives from the Latin (vinum) mustum (must or young wine). It was the Romans who popularized mustard in Central and Western Europe and made their condiments by mixing ground mustard with young wine (where vinegar is used today).

The pungency of all mustards is produced primarily from Sinalbin, a thioglycoside-like compound of glucose and p-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate (HO–C₆H₄–CH₂–NCS). On cell damage (such as by crushing or grinding) the enzyme myrosinase hydrolyzes the sinalbin and produces free p-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate, a pungent and non-volatile substance.

The three culinarily most important mustard types are described below:

White Mustard, Sinapis alba, (also known as Yellow Mustard, Brassica alba or Brassica hirta is an annual plant in the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family of flowering plants. White mustard is grown for its seeds (the spice), but it is also a fodder crop and a green manure. When fertilized, the yellow flowers of the plant yield hairy seed pods that typically contain about 6 seeds. For the spice, these are harvested and dried just before the pod ripens and naturally bursts. White mustard seeds are typically pale (ranging from tan to yellow to light brown) and are about 1.5mm in diameter. The dried seeds themselves do not have any taste, but exhibit a considerable pungency when crushed or ground and mixed with water (such as on chewing). The main flavour compound in white mustard seeds is sinalbin (see above). White mustard does not contain the flavour compounds of brown or black mustard (see below) and is therefore considered milder. However, white mustard is most commonly used for mustard pastes, for which they are considered superior, as their pungent compound (p-hydroxy­benzyl iso­thiocyanate) is non-volatile and stable to hydrolysis in acidic environment (as in prepared mustards). White Mustard grows wild in North Africa, the Middle East and Mediterranean Europe and has spread farther by long cultivation (in Northern Europe early wild forms of Brassica rapa were probably used for their seeds which had a more mustard-like taste and less oil than modern cultivars as evidenced by the presence of their seeds in many neolithic burials).

Brown or Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), originally from the foothills of the Himalaya, is grown commercially in the UK, Canada and the US. This is an essential ingredient in many Indian recipes and has a higher level of volatile mustard oils that white mustard (and is thus stronger in taste and pungency, but not as strong as black mustard). The seeds are a ruddy brown in colour and tend to be slightly lighter in tone than the seeds of the Black Mustard, Brassica nigra. Brassica juncea is actually a a fertile hybrid from Brassica nigra and Brassica campes­tris. It is mainly grown for its leaves and stems, though the seeds are also collected and are commonly used in Indian cookery. Since the 1950s this form of mustard has become more important as a spice, as some cultivars of Brassica juncea have seeds that can be harvested mechanically. This makes brown mustard the most commonly grown in Europe these days.

Black mustard (Brassica nigra) is grown in Argentina, Chile, the US and some European countries. This has the highest concentration of volatile mustard oil of all the mustard seeds and is by far the most pungent variety. It should be noted that black mustard seeds aren't called that because the seeds themselves are black (indeed they tend to be more russet in colour) but rather because they are the seeds of the 'Black Mustard' plant, Brassica nigra. Originally native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, black mustard plants have been extensively cultivated for their pungent seeds for thousands of years. The plant itself is a rather weedy annual and a member of the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family. The seeds are small compared with white and brown mustards (about 1mm in diameter) and vary in colour from dark brown to black. Black mustard is the commonest form or mustard used in mustard powders and prepared mustards (see below). It is also a very common ingredient in Indian cuisine, particularly curries where the seeds are fried in oil before use.

Mustard seeds can be fried in oil until the seeds 'pop', yielding a flavoured oil, as is done in Indian cuisine. The seeds can also be ground and added to stews and meat dishes. In the west, the most common use of mustard seed is in the form of a prepared mustard condiment. This is made by mixing mustard powder with a liquid such as water, wine, honey or even milk to form the paste. The 'heat' of such mustards being reduced by mixing the ground mustard with flour. This kind of condiment was probably first prepared by the Romans who mixed ground mustard with unfermented grape juice to produce mustum ardens (burning must). As one of the few hot spices native to Europe mustards were very commonly used during the Medieval and Elizabethan periods, as exemplified by this recipe for Collar of Brawn and Mustard. Of the various commercial mustards, English mustard (image, left) powder is the hottest. This is a blend of finely ground black with a little ground white mustard, finely-ground wheat flour (which acts to make it smooth when mixed with water) and turmeric to yield its yellow colour. It comes either pre-blended or in the form of a powder to be mixed at home (or to be added to other dishes as a spice). This makes English mustard very pungent (indeed, it is one of the most pungent spices available today). Dijon mustard (image, centre) is slightly milder, but it is still made from hulled black mustard seeds mixed with white wine vinegar or verjuice and turmeric (to yield its yellow colour). The other main type of French mustard is Bordeaux mustard which is much miler and made with white mustard seeds (that have their seeds coat removed), vinegar, spices, sugar and a range of herbs. In Germany, there are two main types of traditional mustards. Düsseldorf mustard (image, right) is similar to Dijon mustard and is made from black mustard seeds. Bavarian style is milder and is made from coarsely-ground white mustard seeds mixed with honey and herbs. Typically this mustard is used with sausages. American mustards are much blander and tend to be made from ground white mustard seeds mixed to a paste with vinegar, sugar and turmeric.