Trigonella foenum – graecum

Originally from Western Asia and Southeastern Europe, fenugreek has a long history of use as a spice and in medicine. The Latin name Trigonella refers to the triangular shape of the flowers, and foenum-graecum means Greek hay, indicating its use as fodder in the past.

Although prized in the kitchens of the Middle East and India, fenugreek has yet to capture the attention of Western chefs.

FLAVOR

Fresh leaves are grassy and slightly tart with sharp tones. There is a note of hay in the dry leaves. The aroma of the raw seeds can be identified as a transitional scent in some curry blends. Their taste is like celery or chives and bitter; the texture is floury.

USED ARE fresh and dried leaves and seeds.

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

Fresh leaves can be found in Iranian and Indian markets; keep them in the refrigerator and use them within 2 to 3 days. Dry leaves should be green without any yellowing; store them in a tightly closed container.

Seeds are available from the same sources and from spice merchants; store them in the same way and they will retain their flavor for about a year or longer.

Ground fenugreek loses its flavor very quickly, so fry it and grind it as needed. Supermarkets sometimes sell fenugreek sprouts.

USE IN COOKING

Fenugreek is widely used by vegetarians in India as it is a rich source of protein, minerals and vitamins. Indian cooks use fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves in many ways as a vegetable, or cooked with potatoes, spinach or rice. The leaves can also be chopped and added to the dough for naan and chapattis.

Dry leaves are used to season sauces.

Fenugreek often adds bitterness to Bengali vegetable stews called shuktas. Dry or fresh leaves are essential for the classic Iranian combination of herbs and lamb, ghormeh sabzi, and are often used to season omelettes with herbs.

In India, the seeds are used in pickled vegetables and chutneys, in the southern spice mix sambhar, and in the Bengali panch phoron. They go well with lentils and fish, are used a lot in dals and fish curries in the south, and are ground with flour to make the local dosai bread.

In Egypt and Ethiopia, fenugreek is used to flavor bread and is an integral part of the Ethiopian berbere spice mix. In Turkey and Armenia, ground fenugreek is combined with chili and garlic and rubbed onto pastirma, the region's excellent cured beef.

In Yemen, fenugreek seeds, first soaked in water to soften the bitterness, are added to hilbeh, a strong sauce that is spread on bread or, on special occasions, served with meat soup and vegetable dishes.

The taste of mapleled roasted fenugreek to its use in bakery products and artificial maple syrup.

IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR sambhar powder, panch phoron, berbere, hilbeh.

IT IS GOOD WITH fish curry, green and root vegetables, lamb, legumes, potatoes, rice, tomatoes.

COMBINED WELL WITH cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, garlic, dried limes, nigella, peppercorn, turmeric.