Black Mustard

Black mustard

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Black Mustard is an intrepid plant that has trekked its way across the world and is now cultivated in many countries including England, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Holland, Finland, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, China, India, South Africa, and in the Middle East.

The plant is thought to have been introduced to Britain in 1720, but it may have been known as a condiment in eastern parts of the Roman Empire, according to an Edict on Maximum Prices issued by Roman Emperor Diocletian in 301 AD.

The name mustard is thought to derive from the Latin mustem, meaning ‘must’ (fermenting grape juice), and ardens, meaning ‘burning’ and referring to the hotness of the plant.

Scientific name

Brassica nigra

Family

Brassicaceae

Botanical description

Yellow cross-shaped flowers atop stalks with bluish-green to grass-green leaves that are long and spear-shaped attached to clasping stems.

Status

Annual. Thought to originate in the Mediterranean and near East, now widespread through Europe, western Asia, North Africa, and North America; cultivated in Nepal.

Habitat and distribution

Prefers to grow along roadsides, fields, farmlands, and riverside meadows.

Parts used for food

Seeds, leaves, flowers.

Harvest time

March, April, May, June, September, October, December.

Food uses of black mustard

Black mustard was known to the Egyptians and Greeks as a plant similar to spinach and for its flavoursome seeds.

The Romans are credited with making black mustard into a sauce, and also for using the coarse herb as a pickling spice and table condiment.

In Medieval England, mustard was used to flavour a sauce of honey and olive oil that was drizzled over meat dishes. 

Pungent and spicy, black pepper seeds are a common seasoning for pickles, sausages and sauerkraut (pickled white cabbage).

The seeds can be ground into a mustard powder which is a popular ingredient of curry powders in Eastern cooking.

The young shoots or leaves can be tossed in salads and eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. The flowering tops can be cooked and used in recipes like broccoli.

Black mustard recipes

Nutritional profile

Nutritionally, Black Mustard has potent antioxidant activity, which can help to reduce the incidences of many chronic diseases when included as part of a balanced diet.

Studies have shown B. nigra packs an incredible 97 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, while it doesn’t skimp on other nutrients either.

The fresh weight of 100 g plant material contains 183 mg calcium, 50 mg phosphorus, 3 mg iron and 15 mg fibre.

Herbal medicine uses of black mustard

Hippocrates (460–370 BC), a Greek physician who was hailed as the father of medicine, wrote about the medicinal actions of Black Mustard in 450 BC. The plant was used by the ancient Greeks and by the Chinese for thousands of years in food and medicine.

Early herbal texts recommend mustard for treating a wide range of conditions from alopecia and epilepsy to toothache and snakebites.

The seeds were thought to be good for lethargy, stomach complaints and as a blood purifier. Mustard poultices, or ‘plasters’, have long been used to treat rheumatism and sciatica.

While Black Mustard is not native to North America, the American Indians used it as a medicinal plant such as grinding the seeds into a snuff for head colds.

The Mohegans used the herb to treat headaches and toothache. It was also adopted by early settlers into an ointment for rheumatic pain.

Mexican Indians used mustard oil as a children’s cough remedy by rubbing it on the chest and covering with a flannel cloth.

Other uses

In other uses, Black Mustard oil has been employed in soap-making. The oil is also used in commercial cat and dog repellants.

Mustard plants are grown for green manure, which grows quickly and provides a bulk agent to add to soil at around eight weeks; although gardeners should be aware that mustard manure may encourage pests and diseases of the cabbage family.

Safety note

Black Mustard is a powerful-acting plant and may cause irritation internally to the gut or externally to skin. Use in moderation.

References

Couplan, F. (1998) The Encyclopedia of Edible Plants of North America. New Canaan: Keats Pub.

Facciola, S. (1998) Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants. Vista: Kampong Publications.

Karalliedde, L. et al. (2008) Traditional Herbal Medicines: A Guide to Their Safer Use. London: Hammersmith.

Kuhnlein, H. V. & Turner, N. J. (1991) Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples: Nutrition, Botany, and Use. Food and nutrition in history and anthropology v. 8. Philadelphia: Gordon and Breach.

Lentini, F. & Venza, F. (2007) Wild Food Plants of Popular Use in Sicily. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. [Online] 315.

Lim, T. K. (2012) Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants. Vol. 4: Fruits. Dordrecht: Springer.

Watts, D. (2007) Dictionary of Plant Lore. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Black mustard soup

Home > Plants > Black mustard

This black mustard soup recipe came about from wandering. Wandering carefree through the hedge.

For a few days, I have been walking past black mustard (Brassica nigra).

The delicate little flower buds gracefully adorning tender stems called out to me.

“Use me like little broccoli florets”, they sang.

And because I have been immersing myself in the history of Japanese food, a flash came to mind.

How perfect to include these little yellow-green buds in a thin, temple cuisine black mustard soup.

The base would be a stock (called dashi) which is traditionally made from kelp seaweed. It’s very simple to prepare.

I also decided to add some shiitake mushrooms to add more depth. Finding I didn’t have any in my cupboard, and being short on time I settled for porcini instead.

The idea was to make the dashi, serve it with shredded kelp seaweed, a few porcini mushrooms and topped with steamed black mustard flower buds and stems.

Only three ingredients make up with black mustard soup recipe. OK, four if you count the water.

Don’t get fixated on having to use specifically black mustard. Any wild mustard will do.

If you like simple, minimalist, plant-based cooking. This recipe is packed with umami flavour and is deeply nourishing.

Ingredients

  • 50 g dried kelp seaweed (cut into strips)
  • 30 g of dried porcini mushrooms
  • 50 g of black mustard flower buds and tender stems
  • 1 litre of water

Instructions

  1. In a pan bring 1 litre of water to the boil, then add the dried porcini mushrooms, and kelp seaweed.
  2. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook for 20 minutes.
  3. Turn off the heat and allow the ingredients to infuse for a minimum of one hour. Longer if possible.
  4. Strain the liquid out reserving the seaweed and mushrooms. It will most likely have reduced by half, so you’ll end up with around 500ml.
  5. Steam the black mustard flower buds for 3 minutes.
  6. While they are steaming, shred the kelp into strips and put in a soup bowl, along with some of the mushrooms. How much is entirely up to you.
  7. Pour some of the dashi stock over them. If it is too cold gently re-heat. I like my dashi very strong, but this can be pretty overpowering for some people, so top up with some of the cooking water to your desired taste.
  8. Finally, place the steamed black mustard greens on top, and serve.

Serves: 2

Crispy black mustard

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Oh my gawd! When it comes to a simple black mustard recipe (Brassica nigra), then these ‘crisps’ are to die for. Sure beats the heck out of kale crisps!

Ingredients

  • Handful of black mustard greens
  • Rape seed oil
  • Himalyan sea salt

Instructions

  1. Rub the black mustard greens with oil to coat them, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and bake in the oven at 180° C for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Make sure you keep an eye on them as they can burn very quickly. You want them going from bright green to dark green, if they go brown you’ve over done them.
  3. If you have thick stalks then you might want to remove them, as they will stay soft, while the leaves go crispy. Personally I like them this way.

Serves: They’re all mine!

Black mustard vinegar

Home > Plants > Black mustard

The various wild mustard have gone from luscious spicy leaves, to wasabi biting flowers and now over to seeds. But you need to be quick in order to get the seeds ‘green’ (soft) rather than brown and hard.

You can use any variety of mustard, but for this recipe I used black mustard seeds (Brassica nigra). This vibrant black mustard vinegar recipe goes great drizzled over pork or fish, and works wonders added to a vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients

  • 80g green wild mustard seeds
  • 200 ml cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Strip the mustard seeds off the plant, then soak in the vinegar for a few hours or over night.
  2. Then blend the mustard seeds and vinegar mixture until well mixed, then add the olive oil.
  3. Next sieve the mixture, squeezing out any residue vinegar from the mustard mash using your hands.
  4. Bottle and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Makes: 250ml

Black mustard with millet

Home > Plants > Black mustard

I made this Black Mustard Recipe (Brassica nigra) as a quick lunch after walking my trusted hound through my local estuary.

On my way home I went through some woods where I gathered some delicious Alternate Leaved Golden Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium). Who says foraging has to be hard work!

Ingredients

  • 100g Black Mustard Leaf
  • 4oz cooked millet
  • 3tsp of pine needle vinegar
  • 2 small handfuls of pumpkin seeds
  • Knob of butter
  • Glug of olive oil
  • Tamari

Instructions

  1. Wash and chop the black mustard leaf and alternate leaved golden saxifrage. Saute in oil and butter until wilted.
  2. Next add cooked millet, pine needle vinegar & a couple of dashes of tamari and keep stirring for between 30-60 seconds.

Serves: 2

Black mustard leaf sushi

Home > Plants > Black mustard

This recipe is best made up to an hour before serving so the Black Mustard Leaf sushi is served as fresh as possible. Refrigeration spoils the texture. Many other fillings can be tried.

Try experimenting with grated radish, carrot, smoked salmon, fine slices red pepper to name a few. Black mustard leaf offers a brilliant substitute for wasabi with several thousand less food miles!

Any left-over black mustard leaf can be added to a vinaigrette for spice and colour.

Ingredients

For each sheet of nori:

  • 125g sushi rice
  • 175g water
  • 1 tablespoon sushi rice seasoning (Clearspring)
  • 30g black mustard leaf
  • Dribble oil
  • Small piece cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks

You will also need a sushi mat for shaping and some soy sauce for dunking (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the rice in a bowl, pour over plenty of cold water and swirl around until the water goes milky. Tip into a sieve to drain. Repeat 4 more times. Place the rice in a saucepan and add the measured water and leave for 30 minutes.
  2. Bring the saucepan up to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Without removing the lid, turn off the heat and leave to steam for another 10 minutes
  3. Tip the rice into a large shallow dish, pour over the sushi seasoning and use a spatula to cut and fold the liquid in to the rice without squashing the grains. You are aiming for a glossy texture with separate grains. Cover the rice with a tea towel until cooled.
  4. Put the mustard leaves into a small food processor with a dribble of oil and blitz until the leaves are finely cut. They can also be finely chopped using a knife and chopping board, adding to a small bowl and a little oil added to just bring together.
  5. To shape the sushi lay a sheet of nori shiny side down on a sushi mat. Add the cooled rice and spread over the seaweed leaving a 1cm margin along the top and bottom edge nearest to you. Sprinkle a line of mustard leaf across the middle from the left to right edge followed by the cucumber matchsticks on either side. Fold the bottom edge of the nori over the rice and using the mat roll the nori towards the far end. Dampen the top edge with a little water and stick the two layers of nori together. Wrap the mat firmly around the roll so it will keep its shape when cut. Hold the roll with one hand and pull the far edge of the mat gently away from you Remove the mat and using a wet sharp knife and a sawing motion cut into 8 even-sized rolls. Place cut side up on a plate and serve with soy sauce, if you wish, for dunking.

Serves 2+