Mustard Seeds

This post is dedicated to the most commonly used but the most unheeded ingredient in Indian cooking. Mustard seeds. I had always wondered about this particular ingredient and what purpose they serve. After some research, I thought they need to be brought into the spot light. 

Rai in Hindi. Mohri in Marathi. Kadugu in Tamil.

They are black.

They are round.

They are tiny.

How many of us actually know why we use mustard seeds? To add pops of colour to the dish? To add a bit of bite? My brother-in-law thought it was only to test the temperature of oil! And that’s when I thought maybe the first ingredient that’s added to any dish (Alright fine that was writer’s liberty.. first ingredient is always oil. Got you!) should be the first ingredient I write about. :)

Yes, mustard seeds are added to hot oil to test whether the oil has come up to the right temperature. The moment your mustard goes pop-pop-pop is the moment you know your oil is ready for your wonderful recipe.

But, you should know that these innocent looking spheres provide much more to your dish than that. They are wonderful sources of the much-need nutrition that your body needs. 

Amino acids

Selenium

Zinc

Omega-3 fatty acids

Vitamin B-Complex

Copper

Magnesium

Manganese

What? Really?

That’s a big list, isn’t it? So the next time you add these to your recipe, take a moment to admire them for the nutrition they provide to you.

I don’t stop there. When I am cooking and researching on recipes and ingredients, I want to know everything there is to know about an ingredient. What are the varieties? Which varieties are used in which recipes? Which countries and cuisines use it? What is the history of that ingredient? For those of you interested, read on!

Mustard seeds come in 3 varieties – White/Yellow, Brown and Black. 

Most of the mustard produce comes from Canada, China, India, US and certain temperate pockets of Europe.  


Looking at mustard fields makes me think of Wordsworth’s poem “Daffodils”. Dainty little pretty yellow flowers dancing in the wind.J  Also reminds me of Kajol and Shahrukh and the mellow cow with a cow bell in DDLJ!

 

Back to topic, the mustard plant is used to make a delicious green-leafy veggie called “Sarson ka saag” in Northern India and most of Indian cooking uses the black/brown variety of seeds (mainly for tempering). Bengali cooking imbibes both black and yellow mustard seeds. I hear “Macher Jhal” is a delicacy. Note to self - Should try it out!

And how can I miss the famous American Mustard Sauce? It is made from ground yellow mustard, with a water/acidic base like wine or vinegar. Personally, I am not a fan of this sauce and not even a big fan of processed or bottled ingredients [read – NOT HEALTHY!].

To be honest, I don’t keep a count to the ‘T’ of each and every nutrient in my food. But I do try to do a recce of the ingredients I use in my cooking to make sure that at the end of the day, I am satisfied of including a wide variety in the day’s or week’s meals.

On that note, be healthy and be happy – look at the beautiful mustards swaying in the breeze..

Data source
Image sources: seed, flower, fields

Inspiration

We are a food-conscious, travel-loving, simple-hearted passionate couple who love their zing. Our philosophy in life is – If life gives you lemons, don’t stop at the lemonade.. go find some tequila!

This may well be a tricky philosophy but it works. Many a times we want something but life gives us something else. We want apples but we get lemons. Instead of sulking over our sour grapes (apples?), what we need to be doing is using those lemons and using them well. Lost your job? This is the chance to pursue the thing you’ve been wanting to do all your life. Make it work. Find that tequila. Got a health problem? Overcome it by concentrating on something else. Channelize your energy into making the rest of your body and mind feel good. If they feel good, your problem issue will get better. Trust me.

Everything boils down to how our mind feels everyday. And food plays a very crucial part in calming the mind and calming the senses. Following a healthy and balanced nutritious meal is half the battle won. Health is Wealth and whoever said that was certainly not kidding.

We all have health issues. I have. You have. Everybody has. Heart issues? Blood Pressure? Cholesterol? Bowel issues? Pimples? I am no doctor, I am no nutritionist, I am no expert. But I have learnt to overcome my personal problems with a bit of research, with a bit of common sense, with a bit of experimenting, with a bit of patience and with a lot of  determination. My travails were not to reach a goal but to maintain a healthy journey. During my (ongoing) journey, I searched for ingredients and recipes for both general health and to tackle specific health issues. This blog is my attempt to document my findings – an insight into local and exotic ingredients (some of which we commonly use in our cooking), a guide for making quick nutritious (and delicious) meals and a guide to tackle specific health issues.

Be wise, use your common sense. If a recipe makes sense to you, try it. Don’t shy away from experimenting. 

Having said that, I may post an indulgent recipe here and a funky recipe there – because every week has a Sunday and we love Masterchef Australia and we love decadent-looking food! 

About Me

Hello there! Welcome to my world of food and visualisation. 

I am a crafty person. I like anything which involves getting your hands dirty. Right from little intricate DIY crafts to fixing things up with screws and bolts! Odd, eh? Yeah, am a bit crazy that way.

How did I end up starting this blog? Because I love food, I love grocery shopping and I hate clothes shopping :P

My first date with food was when I was 10 years old and there was this pack of yellow lentils lying around the house. One afternoon when the family was having a quiet nap I decided to meddle in the kitchen. An hour later, dad woke up, walked in and finished off the dish. Hmm.. I thought to myself.. not bad (fills up with pride).  I think it was all those Enid Blyton’s Famous Fives and Merry Mister Meddles that turned me into both a foodie and a (kitchen) meddler! What followed in the years to come was a Mango and fried rice sandwich on a lazy summer afternoon, my take on sautéed spinach and garlic served with steamed rice, and cabbage and carrot “manchurians”. 

Food and I have always been close buddies since then. The only thing that has changed in the last 20 years is my take on food. With every passing day, our lives are getting busier and more complicated. Most of us don’t have the time or energy to cook a meal at home. Our jobs, daily commutes, the traffic - everything adds to our stress. When we reach home after a tiring day, all we want to do is snuggle up with some comfort food , mostly processed and treated mind you.  What’s tragic is that we are at a stage where we need to call natural food “organic”. Shouldn’t we be calling food as food and treated food as “inorganic”?

I started this blog to get you to share my passion for good food.  And while we are at it, we will try to make it delicious and healthy. How do you know that the food we are cooking is healthy? We’ll try to throw in some infographics to help you visualise what goes into your food. And hopefully, with some basic ingredient information and great recipes we can bask in the comfort of home-cooked wholesome healthy food.