 MedicinalOf the many medicinal uses for mustards the mustard plaster is a time-honoured cure for the congested chest. Mustards cause the skin to feel warm and open the lungs to make breathing easier. The same plaster, made from the powdered seeds of black mustard or any of mustards milder species, has also been used to relieve arthritis, rheumatism, toothache, and other causes of soreness or stiffness.
A mustard plaster feels warm because of several active ingredients in the mustards seeds. Most important are the gycoside sinalbin and the enzyme myrosin. When the powdered mustards are mixed with water, they react to form the essential oil - the strong smelling, hot-tasting (and feeling) stuff we associate with mustards. Left on the skin too long, it will eventually cause blisters. For this reason, the pure mustard powder or oil should never be applied directly to the skin. Instead, put the mustard plaster on a sheet of paper or cloth, and place the sheet on the skin. Remove the poultice as soon as it becomes uncomfortable. Wash the skin thoroughly to be sure no mustard paste remains. Never apply a poultice to very sensitive areas of the body. Some herbalists suggest rubbing castor oil or olive oil on sensitive skin before applying a mustard plaster. You can also tone down the mustard by mixing it with rye flour before adding water, or by using egg white instead of water to prepare the paste.
The ingredients that make mustards effective externally also make it an appetite stimulant and a powerful internal irritant. In very small doses, mustards stimulate the mucous membrane of the stomach and increase the secretions of the pancreas, thereby improving digestion. Larger doses of whole mustard seed will induce vomiting. The seeds' content of oil and fat make them a good laxative. Because of the risk of overdose, remedies made with mustards should be handled with special care. Over a prolonged period, large doses of black mustard could irritate the stomach and intestines.
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 CulinaryBooks have been written about the many culinary uses for mustards. Use whole white (or yellow) mustard seeds in making pickles or chutney. This species is the sort used to prepare the familiar bright yellow hotdog mustard, as well as the English and German mustards. Brown mustard goes into the French types. Black mustard seed is often used for mustard powder as well as prepared mustards, and the seeds are fired until they pop in making many Indian dishes. Mustard oil is used in Indian cooking to impart a distinctive flavour.
The young leaves of black and white mustards are vitamin rich and tangy. However, most gardeners grow other species for greens such as brown mustard, Brassica juncea. The young leaves are boiled with onions and salt pork in much of the Southern States of America. Southerners use hot, buttered cornbread to mop up the "pot likker" from the greens.
The leaves of Brassica japonica are an important ingredient in Chinese and Japanese cuisines. There are many different varieties of mustards to choose from. Stir-fry or steam them as an accompaniment for bland meats and fish.
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