Pepper Bowl

Mustard seeds

A mustard seed is one of the most commonly used ingredients across worldwide. It’s known for its distinctive, robust and nutty flavor which is widely used in Indian cooking as well.

As far as in Indian cooking, these are used as a seasoning ingredient. Furthermore, nearly 99% of the South Indian recipes have this spice as one of the critical component. Most of the dishes start or end by tempering the mustard seeds. These are also used in preserving pickles for ages. This is natural, healthy and no harmful side effects like artificial preservatives.

A mustard seed is one of the most commonly used ingredients across worldwide. It's known for its distinctive, robust and nutty flavor which is widely used in Indian cooking as well.

It looks small, and a spherical ball sized about 3mm. It may seem small, but it is rich in flavor.

Mustard Seed is the primary ingredient which I store in the best possible reaching space since I use this most adequately. My other essential elements after this are urad dal (white lentils) and cumin.

How to use mustard seeds

  1. These always crackled in cooking oil before adding to the dish.
  2. Are you interested in knowing the perfect way seasoning? follow these steps. Firstly, in medium flame, keep a pan and add a teaspoon of cooking oil and half a teaspoon of this spice. Secondly, allow it to crackle. Finally, add it to the dish. The crackling emits a beautiful flavor which on the other hand enhances the dish. Additionally makes it easier for digestion.
  3. Quarter to half a teaspoon of mustard seed is good enough to make a side dish for a serving of four.
  4. And every family has its recipe for making any dish. The same way, in our family we season the dishes at the end of the cooking like seasoning the sambar and the side dishes at the end of the food.
  5. But to make the recipe easier in one pan, we describe the seasoning at the beginning of the cooking. So, if you have the time or if you intend to make an authentic and traditional South Indian cuisine, I would advise you to add sizzling mustard seeds at the final stage of cooking like in this radish chutney recipe.

If you are looking for non-chemical preservatives for pickles, try attempting with mustard seeds. In India, it is commonly used to preserve food such as pickles and chutneys naturally like this pickle powder. The ground mustard seeds increase the shelf life without destroying the originality of the other ingredients. Want to see the real Indian pickle of India? Look into spicy lemon pickle, amla pickle, mango ginger pickle.

The pickle properly made mustard seeds can be stored up to a year even in the kitchen counter. Salt and mustard seeds made it possible to store the pickled vegetables for years even in the tropical Indian climate.

The nutritional and health benefits

  • Mustard seeds have anti-inflammatory effects and anti-fungus effects. And it is also believed as relief for migraines and a unique beneficial element for the skin and hair.
  • It is believed to help controlling migraine respiration conditions.
  • These are rich in calcium, manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, protein, and dietary fibers.
  • And it is excellent for digestion.

The regional names for Mustard seeds

Across the world, it is called in different names. Kadugu in Tamil, Avalu in Telugu, and Rai in Hindi.

The history of mustard seeds

This is believed to be used in Indian cuisine for more than 5,000 years. The literature even mentions as one of the essential ingredients in a human’s life in the period of Buddha.

The substitutions for black mustard seeds

Like any other Indian spices, mustard seeds have unique taste and flavor and cannot be substituted with any closely resembling ingredients. However, in absence black mustard seeds, it can be swapped within its family-like white mustard or Brown Mustard.

Recipes

Most of the Indian recipes tempering is done with mustard seeds. And thus we have listed some here.

Recipes with mustard seeds as tempering

Recipes with mustards seeds as main ingredient

Home » Fenugreek seeds

FENUGREEK SEEDS

Fenugreek is an exotic and unique spice used widely in the Indian kitchen. This healthy ingredient is used by them for thousands of years,  considered to be one of the best body coolants. Fenugreek plays a vital role in Indian Traditional Medicine. Furthermore, even now this is one of the spices widely used in many home remedies. And commonly stocked in North Indian as well as South Indian pantry.  

Fenugreek in the bowl, which is an exotic and unique spice used widely in the Indian kitchen. This healthy ingredient is used by them for thousands of years,  considered to be one of the best body coolants. Fenugreek plays a vital role in Indian Traditional Medicine.

PARTS OF THE FENUGREEK PLANT

The entire plant is edible and included in everyday cooking. Fresh leaves, dried leaves and the seeds are used extensively to make various menus. These are used as the main ingredient, seasoning or garnishing.

The dried leaves of fenugreek play a prominent role in the North Indian cooking, which is mainly used for its flavor. Even a small quantity of dried fenugreek leaves burst the dish with a beautiful aroma. Usually added at the final garnishing stages.

Fresh greens are commonly used throughout India. Fresh greens are usually combined with lentils and served with roti or rice. The leaves, lentils, and rice make a wholesome dish with protein, carb, and essential nutrients. This method of preparation is called methi dal in Hindi and vendhaya keerai kootu in Tamil. You may also try this methi biryani, or Gujarati Muthia which uses fenugreek leaves as the main ingredient.

The seeds are used generally for seasoning. Fenugreek seeds are tempered with cooking oil before adding to the dish.

NUTRITION FACTS AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF FENUGREEK SEEDS

The ancestors of India considered these seeds as sacred and included in almost every recipe. This is a good source of dietary fiber, protein, iron, manganese, and magnesium. 

This has got great anti-inflammatory properties. A great home remedy for the heartburns, stomach sours and simple stomach aches.

Since these fenugreek seeds have got body cooling properties, my mom makes sure that we include mainly in the summer times. On the hot summer, we soak these seeds overnight. Next day morning, we add this to thin buttermilk and drink in an empty stomach. This is an excellent home remedy for the simple problems arises because of the hot weather. 

HOW TO USE FENUGREEK SEEDS

Most recipes call the whole seed. You may sizzle it in cooking oil along with mustard before adding. This is bitter, so be cautious in deciding the recipe before you add. 

If you want to use fenugreek seeds in other than Indian recipes. You may use ground fenugreek seeds. These seeds are bitter, so a little quantity, say quarter teaspoon will be good for a dish for two people. The generous amount can turn the food bitter and spoil the taste.

HOW TO GRIND FENUGREEK SEEDS

This is a simple task if you have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. The first step is dry roasting. For this fry them in low to medium flame until they slightly change its color and aromatic. Secondly, allow it to cool. Finally, grind it in the spice grinder or the mortar and pestle.

WHERE TO GET FENUGREEK SEEDS

These are available in any Indian or Asian stores. Alternatively, you may also get them in specialty stores like Wegmans or Whole Foods. On the other hand, you can get it in online stores.

THE REGIONAL NAMES FOR FENUGREEK SEEDS

Fenugreek seeds are called vendhayam in Tamil. Menthulu in Telugu and methi in Hindi. It is called in different names in different regions. And these are some of the essential translations in the region translations.

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR FENUGREEK

Many of the readers ask for the substitutes, but unfortunately, I am unable to find any closer replacement. Finding an alternative is hard for a specific spice which is known for its uniqueness and has a distinctive flavor. So I incapable to recommend any other closely related spices as a substitute, as every spice has its own medicinal and nutritional values which is highly complicated to find the substitution.

So if you do not have fenugreek for the particular recipe skip using it rather than substituting with another ingredient, which you may end up in making the whole new, different dish when comparing the original.

RECIPES MADE WITH FENUGREEK SEEDS

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT OTHER INDIAN SPICES?