Black mustard (Brassica nigra) is a mustard plant grown for its small, dark brown-to-black seeds, one of three mustard seed types alongside yellow/white and brown mustard, and historically the most pungent of the three. Crushing or grinding the seeds releases allyl isothiocyanate, giving them a sharp, biting heat that mellows when cooked in oil or blended with vinegar, honey, or cream. In Indian cooking the seeds are typically tempered, briefly fried in hot oil at the start of a dish, to build a curry's flavor base; in Europe, mustard seeds are ground into prepared mustards and used in cured meats and sausages. Because black mustard seed pods shatter before mechanical harvest, most commercial 'mustard seed' today is actually the milder brown mustard (Brassica juncea), grown as an easier-to-harvest substitute; true black mustard is now a comparatively minor crop.