How Is Mustard Made ?
Mustard is prepared from two varieties of seeds, namely Brassica juncea (brown variety) and Sinapis alba (white variety). It is prepared by grinding and crushing the two seeds until a particular texture is obtained. It can be either left in powdered form or treated further by adding vinegar, wine etc.
The pungent taste is due to a couple of substances, namely myronate and myrasin, which are released from the whole seeds. Mustard is used the world over for preparing numerous dishes.
The seeds are generally sown in the months of March and April. They can be harvested in September. The time of harvest plays a crucial role. It is vital to harvest the seeds before the pods ripen fully. After harvesting, the seeds are examined. They are graded separately and segregated accordingly. They are then placed in conveyer belts. Here, sufficient quantities of water are sprayed from all sides to remove any type of dirt on the seed surface. After this, they are left to dry and are stored in huge silos until further use.
A few processing companies actually soak the mustard seeds in wine and vinegar for a stipulated period. This will loosen the hull from the seeds helping in quick removal. The seeds are then placed in roller mills and crushed to form a fine powder. They are sieved to separate the fine powder form hulls and bran. They are heated and then cooled for a specific period. They are either mixed with wine and vinegar or are stored in the powdered form.
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