Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds come from three different plants: black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown Indian mustard (B. juncea), and white mustard (B. hirta/Sinapis alba). The small black seeds are used extensively in Indian cooking and are usually fried in a bit of oil along with other spices to impart flavor. Few savory dishes in South India are presented without these tell-tale black dots adorning them. more