Brown mustard seed, Brassica juncea.  Brown mustard is more pungent than yellow mustard. The whole seeds are often heated in oil until they pop, releasing their sharp, nutty aroma before curries, lentils, vegetables and pickles are added.

In Europe, brown mustard became a favorite for stronger prepared mustards, including Dijon-style blends.

Use brown mustard seed in pickling brines, chow-chow, sauerkraut, chutneys, curries, beans, cabbage dishes, spice rubs and homemade mustard. Appalachian chow-chow recipes often call simply for mustard seed; brown mustard can be used when a sharper, hotter relish is wanted.

Older household medicine also ground mustard into warming plasters, although mustard can irritate or burn the skin and is best remembered as part of its herbal history rather than used casually. Cultivated across North America and has also naturalized along roadsides, in waste places and in abandoned fields, including areas of Washington and Oregon.         4oz.  –  $8.75

Resources

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online: Brassica × juncea. – Flora of North America. Brassica juncea—Brown Mustard. – Burke Herbarium. Brassica juncea in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. -McCormick Science Institute. Mustard: -Traditional Uses. – Lloyd Library and Museum. Mustard, Medicine and Health. -Grit Cooking: A Southern Girl’s Taste. “Chow Chow—Appalachian Style.”