Seeds #5210687

Mustard is a versatile oil seed, it is used in umpteen number of ways, the mustard oil seeds can be crushed to form a paste that is mixed with water to form condiment. It can be dried and crushed to form a powder, which is further processed to form the mustard sauce.There are two types of mustard seeds available.

Fennel is widely cultivated, both in its native range and elsewhere, for its edible, strongly-flavoured leaves and seeds. It is a greyish-green, hairless plant with vertically-grooved, branched stems which smell of aniseed when crushed. Fennel seeds are the ripe, dried, gray-green striped to yellowish brown schizocarp fruits of the fennel bush, which is of Mediterranean origin. Fennel is used as a spice, a medicine and food preservative from a very long period of time. Fennel is used as a condiment and as a culinary spice for meat dishes, fishes and seafood, pickles, bread giving a special flavour. For medicinal uses, fennel is used to improve eyesight, aid digestion and cure obesity besides other uses. Fennel essential oil is used in soaps and some perfumes. It is crunchy and slightly sweet, adding a refreshing contribution to the ever popular Mediterranean cuisine.

Fenugreek is used both as a herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop. Fenugreek has grown wild in India, the Mediterranean, north Africa, southern Africa for centuries. It is mainly used in spices or curry powder and excellent for fish and sea food dishes, candy, baked goods, ice cream, chewing gum and soft drinks. It also has medicinal benefits like it is used in reducing the blood sugar level and blood pressure, it is rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. In India, fenugreek seeds are mixed with yoghurt and used as a conditioner for hair. It is also used as a digestive aid. It is one of the worlds oldest medicinal herbs. It has a variety of uses, including increasing breastmilk production. Fenugreek seeds are ground and roasted and used to flavour to curry. The seeds are also soaked and then powdered and used to make lip balm and tonic. Fenugreeks leaves, which are high in iron, are used in salads.

Cumin is a flowering plant that has been grown as a spice since ancient times. Cumins distinctive flavour and strong, warm aroma are due to its essential oil content. It can be used to season many dishes, as it draws out their natural sweetnesses. It is traditionally added to curries, enchiladas, tacos, and other middle-eastern, Indian, Cuban and Mexican-style foods. It can also be added to salsa to give it extra flavour. It has a distinctive, slightly bitter yet warm flavour. Cumin seeds are often ground up before being added to dishes.

Coriander also commonly called cilantro is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm tall. Coriander roots are used in a variety of Asian cuisine. They are commonly used in Thai dishes. It has been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iranians folk medicine. Coriander seeds are also used in traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. Coriander seed is generally used coarsely ground or more finely powdered, depending on the texture desired. The commonest use of coriander seed is in curry powders, where it is the bulkiest constituent, often rough ground in India to give a crunchy texture. Coriander seeds are available in sealed packs. When these rounded seeds are crushed with a mortar and pestle, they give off a strong sweet smell somewhere between cinnamon, rose, orange, and clove.