Fenugreek is a native to India and southern Europe. For centuries it has grown in the wild India. Fenugreek is the small stony seeds from the pod of a bean-like plant. The seeds are hard, yellowish brown and angular.

Uncooked fenugreek seeds have an unpleasant, bitter taste, so the seeds are usually roasted and ground before use to mellow the bitterness. Fenugreek is a favorite in Northern African and Middle Eastern dishes, and is one of the few spices that is usually used in powdered form even in Indian curries. Seed extract is used in imitation vanilla, butterscotch and rum flavorings, and is the main flavoring in imitation maple syrup. It is also used in breads in Egypt, Ethiopia and is also good in marinades.

Fenugreek is rich in vitamins and minerals, and because it is a seed and a legume, hence it is high in protein.