The Mustard Seed: Summer's Dark Horse Spice?

Yellow Mustard Seed

I'll be the first to admit that among the throngs of fascinating spices that line my shelves, the little mustard seed is often overlooked by me.  I hope it'll forgive me, for in reality it is an amazing little seed indeed.  And with visions of summer pickles dancing through my head, what better time of year to blog about this spicy gem?  Certainly the mustard seed has been around since the dawn of time (and, in fact, is the star of the Christian Parable of the Mustard Seed). 

Anyway, no longer shall I ignore this yellow (or brown or black) seed!  In fact, I may throw down the red carpet...for the mustard seed gives us so much.  Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually around1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be coloured from yellowish white to black.   These seeds are so important to so many different regional cuisines.  The seeds can come from essentially three plants: black mustard, brown Indian mustard and white mustard.


It would seem this unassuming seed is quite the globetrotter.  The earliest reference to mustard seed is in, no surprise, India - 5th century BCE.  A story of a grieving mother and the mustard seed is told by Gautama Buddha.  When a mother loses her only son, she takes his body to Buddha for a cure.  The Buddha requests for her to bring along a handful of mustard seeds from a family that's never experienced the loss of a child, husband, parent or friend.  The mother searches for such a house in her village to no avail.  In this search, she learns that death touches one and all and she cannot be selfish in her grief.  The French have used mustard seeds as a spice since 800 AD, and it was actually among the spices taken by the Spanish on explorations throughout the 15th century.  Jewish texts compare the size of the universe to the size of a mustard seed in order to demonstrate the world's insignificance and to teach humility.

Easy to overlook, it's interesting to take a peek out how much the mustard seed is utilized throughout various cuisines/recipes:

• India utilizes the mustard seed for various types of pickles that commonly feature mango, chili powder and are often preserved in mustard seed oil;
• North Americans utilize the mustard seed for making sweet pickles, dill pickles, etc.;
• Of course, mustard seed is the star of the plethora of mustards on the market today (SO easy to make at home....and SO much better!)
•  Irish Corned Beef
•  Chutney
•  Deviled Eggs

So - next time you pass by the lovely mustard seed, stop and ponder just a little longer and maybe try it out in your kitchen.  Here's a recipe to get you started!

EASY SUMMER FREEZER PICKLES

• 8 pounds cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 3 tablespoons Charmed Spices Natural Pacific Sea Salt
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon Charmed Spices Ground Turmeric
• 1 teaspoon  Charmed Spices Yellow Mustard Seed 

1.  In a large container, combine cucumbers, onion and salt. Let stand for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
2.  In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; let stand for 2-3 hours, stirring often. 
3.  Drain and rinse the cucumber mixture; add sugar mixture and stir well. Pack into 1-pt. freezer containers, leaving 1-in. headspace. Cover and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw before serving. Yield: 6 pints.