Mustard Seeds

Mustard Seeds (rai) have a pungent and slightly tangy flavor. Mustard seeds are used extensively in Indian cooking to flavor many dishes. 

There are 3 types of mustard seeds – white, brown and black. I use the black variety, the smallest and the most flavorful. Brown mustard seeds can be used instead. However, they don’t have as much of the pungent bite as the smaller black seeds.

Black mustard seeds primarily used in Asian cooking tend to lend a good bite to the food. These dark little orbs are mostly used as a tempering spice either at the very beginning or the at the very last stage in the cooking process.