If you often buy bulk herbs and spices for your business or household use, you may have noticed fenugreek seeds in the corner of the store. But, have you ever wondered what use these bittersweet is in the kitchen? Fenugreek seeds are bitter with maple syrup-like notes, but they are an important part of Indian cuisine.
Fenugreek seeds are used in various ways in Indian dishes and other cuisines worldwide. Moreover, the leaves are equally flavourful and used to create many dishes. Apart from its culinary uses, fenugreek is a revered medicine that keeps various ailments at bay.
If you want to start with fenugreek but don’t know how to, here are some ideas you can try. Read on different ways you can use fenugreek in your cooking.
Methods you can try with fenugreek seeds and leaves
Garam Masala
Garam masala is a popular Indian spice mix. And there are many varieties of this condiment. But usually, almost all of them include cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, bay leaves, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and mace. Adding a fenugreek powder with garam masala can balance out the flavour of these spices.
Niter Kibbeh
Niter Kibbeh is an Ethiopian clarified butter seasoned with aromatic and flavourful spices like fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin seeds. This condiment is widely popular in Ethiopian dishes, where it is added to stews, sauteed meat dishes, and braised vegetables.
Aloo Methi
Aloo methi is simply translated as potato fenugreek leaves. It is a delicious Indian potato curry made with boiled potatoes and fenugreek leaves and spiced with cumin, turmeric, red chillies, coriander and other spices.
It’s leaves are chopped and added to the sauteed potatoes at the end of cooking. And served with hot roti or naans – types of Indian flatbreads.
Methi Dal
Methi Dal is an Indian lentil stew made with boiled pigeon peas and sauteed fenugreek leaves. The stew is seasoned with various spices, including cumin, chillies, ginger, garlic, garam masala, etc. Methi dal tastes best with any type of Indian flatbread or steamed rice.
Methi Paneer
Paneer is nothing but the cottage cheese. It is a popular dairy product in North India. Methi paneer is paneer curry combined with pureed spinach and fenugreek that imparts sweet, bitter hints. This makes a great side dish served with rice or roti.
Berbere
Berbere is a popular Ethiopian spice mix. It contains powdered fenugreekseeds, cardamom, cinnamon, chillies, paprika, nutmeg, cloves, onion powder, and garlic. Berbere is used to season chicken and pork dishes.
Methi Chutney
Chutney is a dip often consumed with fried dishes like fritters. Methi chutney is made with pureed fenugreek leaves, red chillies, tamarind, jaggery, garlic, and other spices. The bitterness of fenugreek is well-balanced with sweet, savoury, and spicy notes, making a delicious combination.
Methi laddoo
Methi laddoo is a healthy snack option in winter. Dried ginger powder, fenugreek powder, and fennel powder are rolled with whole wheat flour, ghee, and jaggery, making a delightful sweet dish.
Methi Pakoda
Pakoda is a type of fritter made with gram flour. Methi pakoras are made with fresh methi leaves and chopped onions mixed in gram flour slurry and deep fried until they turn crispy. Methi pakoda or it’s leaf fritters make the best evening snacks to fight hunger pangs.
Japanese Curry
Japanese curry is made with various spices, including fenugreek powder, vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and boneless chicken.
Phaal
Phaal is a pan-asian dish containing one of the spiciest chillies – Bhut Jolokia. It also includes it’s seed powder that compliments the spicy notes, further enhancing the taste.
Kookoo Sabzi
Kookoo sabzi is a Persian herb frittata made with a variety of green leafy vegetables and herbs, including it’s leaves, as well as eggs, spices, flour, walnuts, and barberry.
Sprouted Fenugreek Salad
Sprouted fenugreek salad is slightly bitter and crunchy but offers myriad health benefits.
Lactation Herb Tea
It is a herbal medicine that has been used to cure various issues. It is particularly beneficial for supporting healthy breast milk production. Lactation herbal tea is a great way to reap the benefit of fenugreek’s health properties.
Fenugreek water
And lastly, you have the option to make healthy water with it’s seeds. Just soak some seeds overnight, sieve in the morning, and drink empty stomach. It is known to lower blood sugar levels.
It is a great spice that needs to be in your kitchen. Consuming it every day will help you improve your health and cure various ailments. To ensure adequate supply for your daily needs, consider buying bulk fenugreek seeds from wholesale spices suppliers in South Africa and enjoy creating various delicacies with fenugreek seeds and powder.
