Fenugreek (Methi)

Fenugreek has been used as a food, spice and medicine since ancient times. Fenugreek is nature's great boon to mankind. It is an erect, strongly scented, robust, annual herb 30 to 60 cm high. It has compound leaves of light green colour 2 to 2.5 cm long, auxillary yellow flowers and pointed pods, 5 to 7 cm long. The fenugreek leaves are aromatic, cooling and mild aperient. The leaves are popular for their aromatic and unique flavor. Fenugreek has a strong, pleasant and a peculiar odor. Indians like the fresh leaves, which are eaten as tasty. Blanched fenugreek leavesBoil some water; immerse the leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunge into cold water. Remove and strain it. Allow it to cool. Blanching helps in minimizing the cooking time for a particular dish and enhances the colour and flavour making it more palatable. Chopped fenugreekRemove the leaves from the stem. Discard the stems. Wash the leaves thoroughly and remove the excess water by straining. Take a few and chop it with a sharp knife on the chopping board. Chop coarsely or finely, as desired in the recipe. Some recipe call for fenugreek leaves chopped along with stems, in that case do not remove the leaves from stem, instead chop it with sharp knife on a chopping board.Roasted fenugreek seeds