Mustard seed
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mustard_seed".

Mustard seeds

Mustard seeds are the small seeds of the various mustard plants. The seeds are about 2 mm in diameter, and may be colored 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 mustard (B. hirta/Sinapis alba). It is often referred to as "eye of newt."¹

History

The French have used mustard seeds as a spice since 800 AD, and it was amongst spices taken by the Spanish on explorations throughout the fifteenth century. In the twentieth century Pope John XXII was particularly fond of mustard, and created a new position in the Vatican, 'grand moutardier du pape', or 'mustard maker to the pope'.^{citation needed}

Gautama Buddha told the story of the grieving mother and the mustard seed. When a mother loses her only son, she takes his body to the Buddha to find a cure. The Buddha asks her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a family that has never lost a child, husband, parent or friend. When the mother is unable to find such a house in her village, she realizes that death is common to all, and she cannot be selfish in her grief. ²

In the Quran, God states that the scales of justice will be established on the Day of Judgment, and no soul will suffer the least injustice. Even the equivalent of a mustard seed will be accounted for because God is the most efficient reckoner.³

Jewish texts compare the knowable universe to the size of a mustard seed to demonstrate the world's insignificance and to teach humility.

A seed that is small in size yet persistent in its growth. When it grows it can crack concrete.

Regional usage

Aavakaaya (Telugu: ఆవకాయ),Sasive (Kannada:ಸಾಸಿವೆ) is a variety of Indian pickle consisting mainly of mangoes, red chilli powder and aavaa pindi (powdered mustard) preserved in Mustard oil is popular in South India with its origin in Andhra Pradesh.

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. Mature mustard plants grow into shrubs.

Mustard grows well in temperate regions. Major producers of mustard seeds include Hungary, Great Britain, India, Canada (90%) and the United States. Brown and black mustard seeds return higher yields than their yellow counterparts.⁴

Gallery

Oil being extracted from mustard seeds

Black Mustard seeds close-up

Yellow Mustard seeds close-up

Mustard seed close-up

See also

• Parable of the Mustard Seed
• Mustard (condiment)

References

External links

• http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/mustardhistory.htm
• The History of Mustard