Mustard seed

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mustard-seed

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the pungency mechanism?Enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates by myrosinase to form isothiocyanates
2. What is the historical origin of name?Derived from Latin 'mustum ardens,' meaning 'burning must.'
3. What are mustard seeds and why are they so small?Mustard seeds are tiny, 1 to 2 millimeters wide, and come from plants in the Brassicaceae family. They are used to make the spicy condiment we know as mustard.
4. How does mustard get its sharp taste?When mustard seeds are crushed, an enzyme called myrosinase turns flavorless compounds into isothiocyanates, which give mustard its sharp, pungent flavor.

Diaspore: A unit of dispersal in plants, such as a seed or spore, capable of growing into a new individual.
Myrosinase: An enzyme found in mustard plants that catalyzes the breakdown of glucosinolates.
Tadka/Chaunk: A South Asian cooking technique involving frying spices, including mustard seeds, in hot oil to flavor a dish.