Organic Brown Mustard Seeds

Our organic whole brown mustard seeds come from the "Brassica juncea" plant native to the Himalayas and has virtually replaced black mustard in American and British kitchens, particularly in North American Chinese restaurants.

Brown mustard seeds are used in Europe to produce Dijon mustard and other specialty mustards, and the usual table mustard in Russia is made from brown mustard seeds. In Asian countries, brown mustard seeds are used to produce condiments and mustard oil.

The use of mustard seeds as a spice has been known from the earliest recorded times and is described in Indian and Sumerian texts dating back to 3000 BCE. Mustard plants are mentioned frequently in Greek and Roman writings and in the Bible. In the New Testament the tiny mustard seed is a symbol of faith. Mustard seed was used medicinally by Hippocrates, among other ancient physicians.

During the 20th century the use of mustard as a spice or condiment grew to the extent that mustard became by far the largest spice by volume in world trade. Mustard is unusual among spices in that it is mainly grown in the temperate regions of the world, principally on the Canadian and U.S. Great Plains, in Hungary and in Britain.

What is the difference between brown and yellow mustard seeds?

• Brown mustard seeds come from the "Brassica juncea" plant. It is also often called Chinese mustard or Indian mustard.
• Yellow mustard comes from the seeds of the white mustard plant, "Sinapis alba". The white mustard plant bears light tan seeds that are a little larger than brown mustard seeds.
• The heat experienced in yellow mustard is on the tongue, whereas in brown mustard the heat is also felt in the nose and eyes. Yellow mustard has a less pungent aroma than brown mustard seeds.
• In ground mustard, the aroma does not persist. However, flavour and pungency are experienced when enzymatic action is triggered in the presence of water, which releases mustard's flavour or pungency.