Fenugreek - Cuboid Amber Seeds | Rich Source Of Bioactive Compounds, Unique Aroma, Culinary Versatility

Fenugreek is one of the oldest cultivated spice in the world. Fenugreek is the ripe, dried fruit of an annual leguminous herb, which grows upto 30-60 cms in height and produces horn-shaped pods. Each pod contains 10-12 small seeds, each about 3 mm long. These vary in colour from olive green to yellow-brown and shapes ranging from square to oblong. When the seeds are ripe, the plants are pulled up and dried. The seeds are then threshed and dried further.

Fenugreek has strong, pleasant and quite peculiar odour. Its aromatic smell dominates curry powder. The cuboid yellow to amber coloured 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. The young leaves and sprouts of fenugreek are eaten as greens, and the fresh or dried leaves are used to flavour other dishes. The dried leaves (called kasturi methi) have a bitter taste and a strong characteristic smell.

Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of the polysaccharide galactomannan. They are also a source of saponins such as diosgenin, yamogenin, gitogenin, tigogenin, and neotigogens. Other bioactive constituents of fenugreek include mucilage, volatile oils, and alkaloids such as choline and trigonelline. Thus, it finds its way into many traditional & medicinal fields.