Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an annual plant that is grown for both its leaves and its seeds. Its botanical name, Trigonella foenum graecum, means, literally, “triangular Greek hay,” a reference to the shape of the seeds and an indication of how widespread the plant was in Greece at the time of the Romans. Fenugreek leaves are known as methi in Hindi and most of the languages of the northern part of the Subcontinent, where they are a fall and winter vegetable. In season, they are used as both a main ingredient and an herb or flavoring (see New Potatoes with Fresh Greens). Fenugreek seeds are actually a legume. Small, triangular, and golden tan in color, they are bitter tasting and aromatic, with a scent that reminds us of maple syrup. (In fact, fenugreek seed is used by the food processing industry to produce artificial maple flavor.) Fenugreek is most commonly used as a spice in the Subcontinent, either whole, when it is tossed into hot oil at the start of cooking (it is part of the Bengali Five-Spice Mixture), or ground. You will need a good spice grinder to grind the seeds, for they are very hard; or else keep a small supply of ground fenugreek. It is also used as a legume in kirihodi, Sri Lankan Fenugreek Dal.