Horseradish

Horseradish is a pungent root vegetable in the mustard family, cultivated chiefly for a sharp condiment made by grating its root.

Sinigrin: A glucosinolate found in horseradish and other plants that yields pungent compounds when broken down. Grating disrupts horseradish cells and brings sinigrin into contact with its activating enzyme.
Prepared horseradish: A condiment made from grated horseradish root, often stabilized with vinegar. It is the most direct form in which horseradish is sold and served.
Armoracia rusticana: The botanical species commonly cultivated as horseradish. This is the plant whose thick root is grated for the familiar condiment.
Eurasia: The combined continental landmass of Europe and Asia. Horseradish is native to parts of southeastern Europe and western Asia.
Myrosinase: An enzyme that hydrolyzes glucosinolates into products including isothiocyanates. This enzyme converts horseradish sinigrin into the volatile compound responsible for its pungency.
Horseradish sauce: A creamy condiment combining horseradish with ingredients such as cream or mayonnaise. Dairy and other ingredients temper the root’s sharpness in this common preparation.
Brassicaceae: The flowering-plant family that includes mustard, cabbage, radish, and horseradish. Horseradish belongs to this family, whose members commonly contain pungent glucosinolates.
Domestication: The process by which humans adapt wild organisms for cultivation, use, or companionship. Cultivation transformed a wild horseradish into a dependable root crop.
Allyl isothiocyanate: A volatile, pungent compound produced when sinigrin is broken down. It gives freshly grated horseradish much of its sharp, nose-tingling heat.
Beefsteak: A thick cut of beef prepared and served as a steak. Horseradish is a traditional sharp accompaniment to rich beef dishes.

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