When you visit a Bengali restaurant and sample some cutlets and chops, you may have noticed a yellow condiment that is served on the side. This sharp-tasting accompaniment is called kasundi, and it's hard to enjoy Bong delicacies without it.
You may mistake it for mustard sauce until you try it. While it's made of mustard seeds, this yellow condiment is sharper and spicier than its global counterpart.
What is kasundi?
Kasundi is an authentic Bengali mustard sauce that is made by fermenting mustard seeds. This sauce is also known as "Jhal Kasundi" (fiery Kasundi). It is prepared with dry ground mustard seeds from the newest crops that can be both black and yellow.
This Bengali mustard sauce is a quintessential part of the Odia and Bengali cuisine and there you can't imagine having fried food without this tangy accompaniment. This delectable fiery mustard sauce is prepared in the dry months and on the eve of Akshaya Tritiya and Baishakhi.
Kasundi can be enjoyed with Bengali snacks like deep-fried spicy treats, cutlets and chops, as it helps add pungent flavours to the delicacies. This Bengal mustard sauce is also served as a dip with other snacks, like omelettes, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and more.
The preparation of Kasundi or the Bengali mustard sauce was an auspicious ritual that involves a lot of hygiene. But there's more to kasundi beyond just taste. It's a healthful condiment with a host of health benefits.
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Kasundi nutrition
A 100gm serving of kasundi or Bengali mustard sauce comprises of the following nutrients roughly:
| NUTRIENTS | MEASURE (%DV) |
| Calories | 233 |
| Protein | 3% |
| Carbohydrate | 4% |
| Dietary fibre | 6% |
| Fat | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 16% |
| Iron 10% | Calcium 5% |
| Sodium 42% | Vitamin C 9% |
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contribute to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Health Benefits of Kasundi:
Kasundi is rich in micronutrients that can fight cholesterol, high blood pressure, muscular pain, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disease, colds and the flu, and even cancer.
Mustard seeds, the main ingredient in kasundi, is rich in antioxidants, caretenoids, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. They are also rich in folates and b vitamins like niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.
The seeds have anti-cancer and anti-diabetes properties. The fermented sauce also provides probiotic benefits. Let’s dive into the myriad health benefits of Kasundi.
1. Can reduce risk of cancer
Kasundi contains mustard seeds that are rich in phytochemicals such glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. These compounds have anti-carcinogenic effects that aids in fighting the cancer-causing cells. Mustards seeds also have proven benefits against lung cancer by preventing the spread of malignant cells
- Antioxidant-rich mustard seeds promote heart health. The kaempferol, carotenoids, and isorhamnetin content in kasundi prevent narrowing of the arteries, blood clots, high blood pressure, myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular problems.
Mustards seeds have anti-inflammatory benefits that fight against aches and joint pains. These seeds also help in reducing symptoms of psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease.
- Good for nerve health
- Promotes heart health
- Lowers cholesterol
- Improves metabolism
- Good for respiratory disorders
- Offers pain relief
If you have a stuffy nose, a little bit of fiery kasundi can open up your airways and clear up congestion. Spicy foods like kasundi helps the flow of mucous, giving instant relief from a congested sinus. Mustard is a mucolytic that dislodges mucous and allows sinus drainage.
Other benefits of kasundi include:
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How to make kasundi (recipe)
Kasundi is a handy mustard sauce that goes very well with Indian cuisine. Unlike American mustard sauce, kasundi packs a fiery kick due to the other spices that are used alongside mustard.
- 1.Grind 1/4 cup black mustard seeds, 1/4 yellow mustard seeds, a wedge of ginger, 3 chopped up green chillies, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and sugar together in a food processer.
- 2.Add water to loosen up the mixture.
- 3.Add a dash of vinegar and juice of one lemon and pulse it again.
- 4.Transfer into a clean, dry jar and use as required.
References:
1. Yang R, Zhou Q, Wen C, Hu J, Li H, Zhao M, Zhao H. Mustard seed (Sinapis Alba Linn) attenuates imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation of BALB/c mice. J Dermatol. 2013 Jul;40(7):543-52. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.12119. Epub 2013 May 19. PMID: 23682616.
2. Ahmed, A. G., Hussein, U. K., Ahmed, A. E., Kim, K. M., Mahmoud, H. M., Hammouda, O., Jang, K. Y., & Bishayee, A. (2020). Mustard Seed (Brassica nigra) Extract Exhibits Antiproliferative Effect against Human Lung Cancer Cells through Differential Regulation of Apoptosis, Cell Cycle, Migration, and Invasion. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(9), 2069. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092069 Ahmed, A. G., Hussein, U. K., Ahmed, A. E., Kim, K. M., Mahmoud, H. M., Hammouda, O., Jang, K. Y., & Bishayee, A. (2020). Mustard Seed (Brassica nigra) Extract Exhibits Antiproliferative Effect against Human Lung Cancer Cells through Differential Regulation of Apoptosis, Cell Cycle, Migration, and Invasion. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(9), 2069. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092069
3. Frazie, M. D., Kim, M. J., & Ku, K. M. (2017). Health-Promoting Phytochemicals from 11 Mustard Cultivars at Baby Leaf and Mature Stages. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 22(10), 1749. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22101749
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