When people think of mustard they typically think of the yellow liquid that they put on a hot dog when they’re eating it, however, you may be curious and wonder exactly what mustard is and in fact actually a sauce or something else entirely.
The yellow liquid that we typically apply to a hot dog, mustard, can be considered a sauce as it is a liquid that adds additional flavor to a meal, however, the term mustard is quite a generic term that can apply to many different forms of the plant which is what to make the sauce.
Mustard sauce is made from the seeds of a mustard plant which is normally ground into a powder and then made into a paste using vinegar and oil. However, there are also forms of mustard sauce where the grains are left intact which is referred to as whole grain mustard. This form of sauce is typically used as a spread in things like sandwiches rather than being squeezed out of the bottle at a hot dog vendor.
However, the term mustard is a generic one that is applied to the sauce, seeds, and powder but is ultimately derived from the name of the plant which is called a mustard plant
About The Mustard Plant
The mustard plant has two forms, white mustard, and black mustard. Both forms are a member of the brassica family and have the classic round seeds that are common in all brassicas.
The white form originated in Europe and has been used for at least 6000 years for both its leaves and seeds. It has white or yellow seeds and is relatively mild in terms of spice whereas the black form originated in Asia and produces black seeds that are significantly hotter.
This difference in heat has been used to produce different forms of mustard sauce. The mild form of the sauce is mainly made from yellow seeds and is sometimes referred to as American mustard. However, the hotter form made from the black seeds which are more commonly used in continental Europe is sometimes referred to as hot English mustard.
Mustard seeds are also frequently sold as a spice in the spice section of the grocery store either in the whole form or as ground powder. In these forms, it is most common to see the white or yellow seed being sold rather than the black one. These forms of mustard are typically used as spices in cooking and it is also very common to use whole seeds in pickles and preserves.
The mustard plant itself produces green leaves which are sometimes more specifically referred to as mustard greens. Mustard Greens can be used in cooking like any other leafy green plant, however, it is also used commonly by gardeners to fertilize and fumigate soil as a green manure.
Green manures are plants that are grown specifically to be re-dug into the soil to improve the nitrogen content. However, mustard is also used to kill any pathogens in the soil as it releases gases that are toxic to them as it degrades in the garden.
Can You Grow Your Own Mustard Plants At Home From Store-Bought Seeds?
If you plant mustard seeds that have been purchased from the spice section of your local grocery store they will grow in most cases so it is possible to grow your own mustard seeds at home in your own garden. The plants are quick and easy to grow and they will produce a plant relatively quickly providing that the weather is warm enough.
In most in cases, gardeners will typically sprinkle the seeds out onto the garden beds after the last frost in spring and the plants will typically produce leafy greens that are approximately 3 to 4ft tall which is followed by the production of yellow flowers which contain the seeds.
Can You Make Your Own Mustard Sauce At Home
It is possible to make the mustard sauce at home that is exactly to your own taste in either the whole grain or traditional mustard form. It is relatively simple to make and easy to control the level of spice in the sauce by varying the amount of yellow or brown mustard seeds that are present. Typically to produce a sauce with an intermediate level of heat you need a 50/50 blend of the seeds.
Below is a recipe that you can use which will provide a basis for you to experiment with making mustard.
- 100 g of mustard seeds
- 30 g of sugar (white or brown sugar can be used)
- 80 ml of vinegar (any type of vinegar can be used
- 80 ml of water
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Spices (optional).
To prepare the sauce the first step is to leave the seeds to soak in the vinegar overnight which will improve the depth of flavor of your sauce. The next step is to put all the ingredients into a food processor and then blend the mixture together until you get the desired consistency which was most people is a creamy smooth consistency.
Once prepared the mustard can then be stored in glass jars for months in the refrigerator.
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