Mustard Seed Powder, Yellow Cert. Organic (Sinapis alba; Bai Jie Zi) 1 lb: C

This is Starwest's nitrogen-flushed double wall silverfoil pack. Mustard seed is, obviously, the basis of your own homemade gourmet mustard. It also an invaluable addition to many sauces, stews, chutneys, breads and casseroles. Mustard is usually made with crushed or ground mustard seeds, vinegar, and wine. Honey or sugar are often added for sweetness, herbs and spices to taste. Tarragon is a frequent addition to mustard recipes, as is turmeric, which gives a bright yellow color. The pungency of white mustard (Sinapis alba) is stable, and does not diminish over time, whereas the pungency of black musatard (Sinapis nigra), although initially stronger than that of white mustard, diminishes upon long standing due to hydrolysis. Black mustard seeds, therefore, are used for strong and spicy mustards, and are understood to have a shorter shelf-life than mustard made from white seeds. Cooking radically alters the pungency of mustard seeds, and gives them a unique flavor found nowhere else. Great mustard seed recipe page: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blspice7.htm. Lemon and Mustard Seed Chutney http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blcon40.htm: Ingredients 4 medium onions, sliced 5 big lemons, seeded and chopped up 1 ounce salt 1 pint apple cider vinegar 1 ounce mustard seeds ¼ pound seedless raisins 1 scant teaspoon ground allspice 1 pound sugar Dash mace 1 or 2 cracked black peppercorns Pinch of cracked coriander (optional) Sprinkle salt over the onions and lemons and leave for 12 hours. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, then simmer on very low fire for about 45 minutes. Put into sterilized jars and seal when cold. Serve with leftover beef or mutton or ham, or as a side dish to anything curried. Rhubarb Chutney http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blcon38.htm: Ingredients 1 pound rhubarb 2 teaspoons coarsely grated fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and veins removed 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds ¼ cup dried currants 1 cup light brown sugar 1-½ cups white wine vinegar Wash the rhubarb and slice it into pieces ¼ inch thick. If the stalks are wide, first cut them into halves or thirds lengthwise. Finely chop the grated ginger with the garlic and jalapenos. Place all the ingredients in a non-corroding pan, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the rhubarb is broken down and is the texture of a jam, about 30 minutes. Stored refrigerated in a glass jar, this chutney will keep several months. Hot, tart and sweet, this is a condiment to serve with curries or with crackers and cream cheese. Mustard's stimulating, diaphoretic action can be utilized in the way that cayenne and ginger are. For feverishness, colds, and flu, mustard may be taken as a tea or ground and sprinkled into a bath. An infusion or poultice of mustard will aid in cases of bronchitis. Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal':