MUSTARD SEEDS
What are mustard seeds?
All parts of the mustard plant are edible, including the seeds, leaves, and flowers; it is in the same genus as cabbage and turnips and is an annual plant. Brassica nigra is the plant that produces black mustard seeds. It is native to North Africa and parts of Europe and Asia; black mustard seeds are still very popular in the Middle East and Asia Minor where they originated. The seeds are removed from their seed coats and are very small. They can be ground into a spice or used whole, often added to hot oil to bring out the flavor.
Brown mustard seeds come from the Brassica juncea plant. It is also often called Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, or Oriental mustard.
There are different varieties of brown mustard seeds, ranging from those with a dark brown seed coat to others that are dark yellow.
Yellow mustard comes from the seeds of the white mustard plant, Sinapis alba. While it is in the Brassicaceae family, it is not as closely related to the other two types of mustard as they are to each other. The white mustard plant bears light tan seeds that are a little larger than brown mustard seeds. These end up as the bright yellow mustard due to the addition of turmeric or dye.
Use of mustard seeds
Brown mustard seeds are used in Europe to produce Dijon mustard and other specialty mustards, and the usual table mustard in Russia is made from brown mustard seeds. In Asian countries, brown mustard seeds are used to produce condiments and mustard oil.
This mustard oil can contain toxic erucic acid, so is not imported to the United States. White mustard seeds are ground to make a yellow mustard condiment.
** source : The Spruce eats
ASAFOETIDA
What is asafoetida?
This is a gum from a variety of giant fennel, which naturally has a horrid and offensive smell, rather like rotting garlic, as in foetid. Yet it is considered the most blessed of flavourings amongst Jain and Brahmin Indians,
who eat neither garlic nor onions, for it adds a very similar savouriness. Asafoetida is also a Godsend to the many millions of others who won’t eat or can’t properly digest raw or undercooked onion or who don’t like garlic, either to eat or subsequently smell on their breath.