Spice
Trigonella foenum-graecum
S tier
Trigonella foenum-graecum is fenugreek—angular yellow-brown seeds smelling of maple and bitter celery, plus bitter aromatic leaves (methi) used fresh or dried. Seed and leaf are different kitchen tools from one species. Toast seeds carefully for curries; raw bitterness dominates. Kasuri methi is dried leaf, not seed. Species identity is stable; quality varies with harvest and storage.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
CurryMethi LeafPickleSproutToast Seed
Traits
AromaticBitterLeaf and Seed UseMapleMaple-Bitter SeedToast SensitiveTrue SpeciesWarm
History
Ancient Near Eastern and South Asian diets used fenugreek seed and leaf.
EG
Classical writers noted fenugreek as food and fodder—hence foenum-graecum.
IN
Indian cookery fully integrated seed and methi leaf forms.
Global spice aisles stocked Trigonella seed as fenugreek.