Fenugreek Leaves

A wonderful (very Indian herb) also known as Methi.

Fenugreek is an Indian herb from the Kasoor region in India (it's called Methi over there). The dried fenugreek leaves have a characteristically strong, musky curry aroma and the herb works beautifully for flavouring lamb dishes, deep rich sauces, as well as lentil and dry vegetable dishes.  

The seeds look like little angular yellow stones and they're bizarrely hard. They have a powerfully bitter flavour and scent, and they're usually fried before use to intensify the aroma and mellow them up a bit. These seeds make the basis for curry powder (you'll recognise that classic curry smell when you make your own) and you can use the fresh, young leaves in the same way you'd use spinach. Versatile little fella, isn't it?

Because fenugreek seeds are so robust they tend to be used a lot for pickling and for making chutneys. There are also some iconic fenugreek flavoured dishes such as Kharee from the Punjab, and in the south it forms the base of spice powders used to cook sambhar (a spicy lentil and vegetable dish).