Eruca vesicaria sativa

Description

Young leaves of this plant can be eaten both raw and cooked. They have a strong spicy flavor, especially when sourced from well-maintained plants. Adding a few leaves to a salad is fine, but the taste may be too intense for some people. Older leaves that are too tough to eat raw can be pureed and added to soups. In mild areas, such as parts of Great Britain, it is possible to grow edible leaves year-round by successive sowing, especially if the plants receive some protection in winter. The flowers of this plant can be eaten raw and have a taste similar to the leaves. They make a beautiful addition to salads. The seeds produce a semi-drying oil that is edible and can last up to 6 months, and it can replace rapeseed oil. This oil contains 32% fat and 27% protein and is known as 'jamba oil'. Mustard can also be derived from the seeds; the sharp flavor of mustard comes from an essential oil in the seeds. By adding cold water to the ground seeds, a reaction occurs where an enzyme (myrosin) reacts with a glycoside (sinigrin), producing a sulfur compound that creates the sharpness. If you then stop the enzyme by adding hot water, vinegar, or salt, a milder, bitter mustard is produced.

Guilds