Landscaping & Gardening Information | home | site map | contact us |
Mustard: The Greatest Among The Herbs
Mustard plants have been used for thousands of years for their pungent flavour in condiments, spicy greens for side dishes and salads, and in traditional folk medicine and Chinese herbal medicine to treat a variety of ailments. The name mustard comes from the Latin mustum ardens, or "burning must." It was so named because as the seeds were pounded with unfermented grape juice, or must, their pungent qualities developed, hence "burning." Mustards seeds are mentioned in ancient Sanskrit writings dating back about 5,000 years ago and the Bible calls mustard "the greatest among the herbs." Valued for their intense flavours and healing properties, mustard seed and the plant itself have been grown for its beautiful yellow flowers and spicy seedling leaves. Members of the Brassicaceae family, mustard is a cruciferous vegetable related to cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, rutabagas, turnips, radishes, horseradish, cress, and broccoli with the attendant phytochemicals properties. Mustard is categorised as a food, medicine, spice, and condiment. White mustard (Sinapis alba) also known as yellow mustard is a native of North Africa, central Asia, and the Mediterranean. This is the mustard that is used extensively in the production of American prepared mustards, as it is the least pungent. Brown mustard (Brassica juncea) is native to Asia and is the seed used to prepare specialty mustards such as Dijon. Canada is the world's largest exporter of mustard seed and among the top five producers in the world. Saskatchewan produces over 80% of the domestic total and the brown mustard seed used for Dijon mustard comes from Saskatchewan. Mustard seeds contain many healing properties and have been used for centuries by Chinese herbalists to treat abscesses, bronchitis, colds, rheumatism, toothache, ulcers, and stomach disorders. They are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, phosphorous, and a good source of iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and manganese. Mustard seeds have been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, decrease some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and help prevent cancer. Mustard plasters are still being used today to treat rheumatism, arthritis, chest congestion, aching back, and sore muscles. To make a mustard plaster, mix equal parts powered mustard and wheat flour, dilute the mixture with sufficient cold water to achieve a soft paste. Spread on a clean cloth such as cotton flannel, linen, or several layers of muslin. Remember that mustard is a hot herb and contact with the skin may cause blistering and should be avoided. Leave on for approximately 15 minutes. If the patient complains at any time during treatment, remove the plaster immediately. After the plaster is removed, bathe the treated area with cool (not cold) water to stop the burn. Dry the area and finish up with a dusting of baby powder or cornstarch to soothe the skin. Mustard greens are the leaves of the mustard plant Brassica juncea. Mustard greens originated in the Himalayan region of India and have been grown and consumed for more than 5,000 years. All young mustard leaves can be used for mustard greens, however Chinese mustards or mustard greens (Brassica juncea var. rugosa), broad-leaved mustard greens, or (Brassica juncea var. foliosa), thin-leaved mustard greens, are the best mustards for greens. These varieties are also known as gai choy, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, mustard cabbage, Bamboo mustard cabbage, and Sow cabbage. Mustard greens are a staple vegetable in many cultures around the world. They are used much as spinach, dandelion, or beet greens are used (see recipe for Sautéed Mustard Greens). Mustard greens are an excellent source of vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. They also contain vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, niacin, vitamin A, and are an excellent source of phytochemicals thought to prevent cancer. In Chinese herbal medicine, mustard greens are used to treat bladder inflammations and to stop hemorrhage. Eating mustard greens is thought to offer great benefit to individuals suffering from conditions ranging from asthma to heart disease to menopausal symptoms. Mustards are annuals and grow from 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) tall. The flowers produced are yellow and the white mustard flowers have a slight vanilla scent. They are known as cruciferous plants because they have four-petaled flowers, two long and two short that resemble a cross. Both mustards have pungent-flavoured, broad, dark green, jagged with irregularly cut lower leaves. Mustard is a cool season crop and bolts quickly in warm weather. Mustards can be started indoors or planted directly into the soil in early spring. If you are starting mustards indoors, adequate light is essential. Hang lights 3 inches (7.5 cm) above the seedlings and leave lights on for 16 hours a day. They prefer a rich, moist, well-prepared soil with adequate drainage. Plant seeds at a depth of ¼ inch (6 mm) and follow directions on the seed packet. They grow best in full sun and need to be kept moist during the growing season. Space mustards 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Harvest your mustard plants for greens when the leaves are young and tender, for cooked greens when the leaves are mature, and for seed when the seedpods take on a brownish tinge. In the kitchen, whole mustard seeds are used in sauerkraut, cabbage, pickles, relishes, curries, sauces, pot roasts, and to flavour meats such as lamb, pork, and rabbit. Use fresh flowers as an edible garnish or cook flowers for 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain and serve with butter and sea salt to taste. Mustard seeds can be sprouted and used in salads, sandwiches, or as a garnish. Young mustard greens are great additions to salads and stir-fry dishes. To make your own mustard condiment, grind, crack, or crush the mustard seeds. Macerate the seeds in wine, vinegar, or water. Make sure the liquid is cold as this causes the chemical reaction that releases the heat and pungency of the seed. Grind them into a smooth paste, adding herbs and spices such as tarragon, horseradish, crushed hot peppers, turmeric, garlic, pepper, paprika, ginger, or hot pepper sauce. Additional options are honey, dark ale, beer, whiskey, wine, wine vinegar, Scotch, or brown sugar. Fruit mustards are made with lemon, lime, orange, or berries. (If you don't want to bother with grinding your own seed, start with mustard powder or use your favourite prepared mustard and add whatever additions you like.) Prepared mustard is used in vinaigrettes, marinades for meats, poultry, and seafood, mayonnaise, salad dressings, sauces, soups, and stews (see recipe for Basic Mustard.) Prepared mustards get their intense yellow colour from the addition of turmeric. Basic Mustard ½ cup (125 mL) ground mustard seeds ¼ cup (50 mL) ice cold water ¼ cup (50 mL) vinegar (white, wine, cider) 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) sugar (to taste) Grind, crush, or crack mustard seeds. Add the water to the ground mustard and stir. Let sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, then add remaining ingredients and blend. If you wish, add herbs or substitute wine for some of the vinegar. Pour into sterilised jars to seal. Refrigerate mustard. Sautéed Mustard Greens ½ tsp. (2 mL) olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small onion, chopped 1 lg. bunch mustard greens Wash mustard greens well, dry, and remove coarse stems. Chop stems into small pieces and leaves into 3 inch (7.5 cm) pieces. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium, add onions and garlic and stir-fry until onions are wilted. Add stem pieces, small amount of water, and place lid on skillet. Cook for a few minutes until stems are slightly tender. Add leaves and sauté until all liquid has evaporated and greens are tender. Season with sea salt or soya sauce and serve immediately. This recipe can be used for other greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, dandelions, and beets. Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
A Few Simple Facts About Purple Martins Purple Martins are the largest member of the swallow family.However, in flight their wings are more triangular than other swallows. Wild Flower Garden - Make Amends...Your Plants Will Love It A wild flower garden, just like any garden you wish to plant, requires good quality soil that will meet the needs of the plants you put in it. That means that your garden soil may need some amendment. Laying Out Your New Landscape When planning your new landscape, the first place to start is by driving around your neighborhood and seeing what other people have done with their landscapes. Bring a sketch pad or digital camera to record things you like. Winter Gardening Looking Towards Spring Ok, the title "winter gardening" might be a tad bit misleading. I am not suggesting that you actually garden during the winter but you should be using this time to plan your upcoming garden. How and When to Plant Roses When spring comes and the ground is thawed, it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses have been a cherished aphrodisiac since biblical times. Cyclamen Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day immediately comes to mind, which is something of a pity. Now don't misinterpret me, there's nothing wrong with mothers or with having a day for them, but it does seem a little unfortunate when such beautiful, adaptable and useful plants become so commercialised that there's difficulty escaping that association. Organic Hydroponics - Simplified These days, it's easy to get lost in the wealth of knowledge available on hydroponics cultivation. The dizzying collection of fertilizers, additives and supplement doesn't necessarily help the situation. Garden for Birds #4 I would like to know.. Make The Most From Your Vegetable Garden All your hard work has paid off, and now you are presented with a dilemma, too many vegetables! After sharing your wealth with friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and anyone that happens to come to visit, there are alternative options of what you can do with your extensive supply of tomatoes, zucchini and other bountiful crops that will bring great joy to the community around you.There are many different ways to approach this, the easiest would be to look up in your local phone book for organizations that you could donate your vegetables to. Mint: The Herb of Hospitality The Mentha species or mints as they are commonly called include many varieties that flavour everything from appetizers to desserts. The best-known species in North American are peppermint (M. A Teak Table - Accent Your Outdoor Decor With One It's been time consuming, and there have been a lot of hard decisions along the way, but finally you have chosen the perfect outdoor furniture that fits your personality, budget and space. And as you sit on your new favorite chaise lounge, drink balanced precariously on the edge of the flower box to your left, you suddenly realize what your space is lacking: tables. Perfume Your Garden and Home with Gardenias One of my favorite plants is the large white-flowered Mystery Gardenia (gardenia jasminoides) that grows to about 5' tall and wide. The perfume-like scent adds an exotic feeling to gardens. Add Rich Color To Your Garden With Blue Perennial Flowers Blue flowers are some of the most striking plants around and can add a rich splash of color to any garden. Plant them in a cluster of all blue or mix them in with other flowers for a rainbow of color. Camellias Camellias Named by Linnaeus in 1735 in honour of the Jesuit priest and naturalist Georg Josef Kamel, Camellia is a genus originating mainly from China but with a range covering a large area of South East Asia. The exact number of species is not clear but it is somewhere around 100. Adirondack Chairs - How to Choose One In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you will find a unique museum called the Adirondack Museum. According to the experts that run this museum, the Adirondack chair was originally called the Westport chair, named after a small town located nearby Adirondack Mountains. Hummingbird Nesting Facts Every spring the United States and Canada are blessed with the presence of humming birds migrating north to make a home for their coming young. They come from Mexico and South America in search of a cooler, more suitable climate to nest and have a family. Oregano: Joy of the Mountain Known as "joy of the mountain," Origanum vulgare is commonly called culinary oregano or Turkish oregano. Oregano is a close relative of marjoram and is also known as pot marjoram. How to Grow Bamboo Bamboo is a mysterious and elusive plant that baffles taxonomists who try to contain it within a botanical class and gardeners who try to contain it within a limited garden space as they learn how to grow bamboo. For many years, bamboo was thought to be a primitive grass but recent DNA testing has shown it to be one of the most highly evolved forest grasses. Gardeners: Contain Yourselves! Whether you live in a tiny city apartment or on a large country estate, gardening in containers is a way to add colour and the beauty of nature to your surroundings. The three main elements of creating successful containers gardens are:Choosing the potsGetting the right planting mediumSelecting the plantsIn all of these elements, the key is to create a healthy growing environment for the plant roots. Garlic: The Stinking Rose Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Known as the 'stinking rose' and Russian penicillin, its medicinal purposes have been documented for centuries and have always been a popular remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. |
home | site map | contact us |