Botanical name - Trigonella foenum-graecum
Country of Origin - India
The rhombic yellow to amber colored fenugreek seed, commonly called Methi is frequently used in the preparation of pickles, curry powders and pastes, and is often encountered in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent.
In India, ground fenugreek seeds are mixed with yoghurt and used as a conditioner for hair. It is also one of the ingredients in the making of khakhra, a type of bread. It is used in injera/taita, a type of bread unique to Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.
Ground fenugreek is sometimes used as an ingredient in the production of clarified butter (Amharic: qibé, Ethiopian and Eritrean Tigrinya: tesme), which is similar to Indian ghee.
In Turkey, fenugreek gives its name, çemen, to a hot paste used in pastirma. In Yemen it is the main condiment and an ingredient added to the national dish called saltah.
The similarity between the Arabic word hulba and the Mandarin Chinese word hu lu ba reveals the significance of fenugreek in history. Fenugreek is also one of four herbs used for the Iranian recipe Ghormeh Sabzi. Fenugreek is frequently used in the production of flavouring for artificial syrups.
Use Ground fenuugreek in chutneys and relishes to give a mild curry flavour, also in fish, meat and vegetable dishes.