Description

Brown mustard seeds are an essential ingredient in South Asian cuisine. When soaked in water, the myrosinase enzyme is activated, providing a powerful heat and pungency to the meal. However, an alternative is to cook or toast the seeds in heated oil or ghee. No acridity is required to obtain the nutty flavors. Myrosinase degrades rapidly when heated, therefore if it has been ground into powder, it should be added at the end of cooking.

Mustard seeds are available in three distinct colors: yellow, brown, and black. Yellow mustard seeds (sometimes called white mustard seeds due to the sandy color variation) are generally utilized in Europe and western Asia, whilst brown and black mustard seeds are used in India and its neighboring nations.

They all have a distinct flavor. Yellow seeds are more mellow, with less pungency, and initially have a flowery sweetness. Brown seeds have a slight horseradish flavor and an earthy aroma (though sometimes possess enough heat to burn down a barn). Black seeds are exceptionally smelly and scorching; chewing into one causes a nuclear winter.

Whole seeds have little scent and must be processed to release their flavors. Myrosinase is the enzyme that imparts mustard’s acrid pungency and piercing heat. However, it is a temperamental enzyme. Water is required to bloom the enzyme’s flavor, and temperature is critical. Cold water ensures a highly hot, bitter, acrid, and pungent mustard paste (possibly to the point of it being inedible if the water is ice cold). Warm water will mellow it out, while hot water will completely eliminate the flavor.