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| | Name | : | Fenugreek | | | Botanical Name | : | Trigonella Foenum-graecum | | | Family | : | Leguminosae |
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| History |
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| Fenugreek is one of the earliest spices known to man. It is the ripe, dried fruit of an annual leguminous herb. The name derives from the Latin 'Greek hay' illustrating its classical use as fodder. Both seeds and plant of this herb is used in Indian cuisine. Commercially known as 'Methi', Indian Fenugreek comes in several well-known varieties such as 'Desi' and 'Champa'. |
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| Fenugreek is a native to India and southern Europe. For centuries it has grown wild in India, the Mediterranean and North Africa, where it is mainly cultivated. A limited crop grows in France. |
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| The major producers of Indian Fenugreek are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The major importers of Indian Fenugreek are Saudi Arabia, Japan, Malaysia, USA, UK, Singapore and Sri Lanka. |
| Physical Study |
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| Fenugreek is the small stony seed from the pod of a bean-like plant. The seeds are hard, yellowish brown and rhombic shape. Some are oblong, some rhombic, other virtually cubic, with a side of about 3mm (1/8'), having a deep furrow splits them in two. They are available whole and or in a powdered form. |
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| Plant Portrayal |
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| This hairy plant grows erect reaching 30-60 cm (1-2 ft.), with long slender stems that bear tripartite, toothed, grey-green obovate leaves, 20-25 mm (3/4-1 in) long. The root is a mass of finger like structures. The scissile auxiliary flowers are white or pale yellow. The thin, sword-shaped pods are 10-15 cm (4-6 in), with a curved beak-like tip, each carrying 10-20 seeds. Mild Mediterranean climates are most suitable for the growth of the plant. Plants mature in about four months. The plant radiates a spicy odour, which persists on the hands after touching. The whole plant is uprooted and allowed to dry. The seeds are threshed out and dried further. |
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| Storage |
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| Dried seeds are to be lightly roasted and ground before using. |
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| Taste And Aroma |
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| They have a strong, warm and penetrating odor, becoming more pronounced when the seeds are roasted. Ground, they give off a 'spicy' smell, pungent, like an inferior curry powder, which would probably contain too much fenugreek. Powerful, aromatic and bittersweet, like burnt sugar. There is a bitter aftertaste, similar to celery. Fenugreek has a strong, quite peculiar odour reminiscent of maple. |
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| Culinary Uses: |
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| Dried leaves of the fenugreek are used as a flavour for meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The major use of fenugreek is in curry powders. It is one of the ingredients of 'Panch Phoron', the Indian five-spice mixture. It is used in chutneys and pickles as it gives a flavorful aroma to vegetables. |
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| Fenugreek Leaves are thin and oval in shape and are bitter in taste. The leaves that are rich in Vitamin A and C are used in pickles, meat curries, dhal and vegetable dishes and chutneys both in fresh and dry forms. Dried Fenugreek leaves are called 'Kastootri Methi'; those are available in Indian grocery stores. Fenugreek is also used in making spicy bread. Tea can be prepared by infusing teaspoon of seed with two cups of water. Fenugreek seeds are especially used in the preparation of mango pickle in South India. In certain cases, the seeds are soaked overnight to swell and soften, and can be consumed. Too much consumption of fenugreek in dishes will be overpowering. |
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| Medicinal Uses: |
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| Fenugreek is a digestive aid. |
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| It reduces the sugar level of the blood. |
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| It also lowers blood pressure. |
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| In the East, beverages are made from the seed to ease stomach trouble. |
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| It acts as an embalming agent. |
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| Fenugreek seeds are rich in vitamin E and are very good for eyesight. |
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| Ethnic Uses: |
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| Fenugreek when soaked and ground will be applied to hair for nourishment and glow. |
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| The extracted oil of fenugreek is extensively used in perfumery. |
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| Other Names: |
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| Bird's Foot, Foenugreek, Goat's Horn. |
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| | French | : | Fenugrec Senegre,Trigonelle | | | German | : | Bockshornklee, Griechisches Heu | | | Itlaian | : | Fieno Greco | | | Spanish | : | Alholva, Fenogreco | | | Malay | : | Alba | | | Sinhalese | : | Uluhaal | | | Indian | : | Methi | | | Telugu | : | Menthulu |
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