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Spices & seasonings · Whole spices

Mustard seeds

Tiny round seeds (black, brown or yellow) popped in hot oil for South Indian tadka or ground for pastes.

Also called: black mustard seeds, rai, sarson, hardal tohumu

A kind of spices

84 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

What it is

Mustard seeds are small, hard, round seeds. Black and brown seeds (rai) are used in Indian cooking, where they are popped in hot oil until they crackle, giving a nutty, mild bite. Yellow seeds are milder and used in pickling and to make prepared mustard. Ground, soaked mustard becomes sharply pungent, as in Bengali shorshe paste.

Brassica juncea / B. nigra / Sinapis alba

How it’s used

  • Tadka with curry leaves for dal, sambar, poha and chutneys
  • Bengali shorshe (mustard paste) fish
  • Indian pickles
  • Pickling spice and brines
  • Making prepared mustard

Characteristics

Taste
Nutty when popped; pungent and hot when ground and wet.
When cooked
Wait until the oil is hot enough for a test seed to sizzle; seeds pop and jump within seconds, so have a lid ready.
Sold as
whole, ground
Cooking uses
Used for tempering (tadka), Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight jar away from light; whole seeds keep very well.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Mustard.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Mustard is a major allergen.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
508 kcal
Protein
26.08 g
Carbohydrate
28.09 g
Fat
36.24 g
Fibre
12.2 g
Sugars
6.79 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, mustard seed, ground.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cumin seeds — For tempering when mustard is unavailable or an allergy; flavour differs.

Related ingredients

Recipes with mustard seeds

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