Apa fenugreek?

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Apa fenugreek? - Fenugreek merupakan salah satu tertua di dunia tanaman obat. Ini memiliki berbagai kegunaan, termasuk peningkatan produksi ASI.

Fenugreek adalah berbatu kecil biji dari polongnya dari kacang-seperti tanaman. Benih sulit, coklat kekuningan dan sudut. Ada yang persegi panjang, beberapa belah ketupat, hampir kubik lainnya, dengan sisi sekitar 3mm (1 / 8 "). Galur yang mendalam semua tetapi terbagi dalam dua. Mereka adalah tersedia utuh dan kering, atau sebagai bubuk kuning pucat, tanah dari panggang biji.
Buket: Hangat dan tajam, menjadi lebih menonjol ketika benih dipanggang. Tanah, mereka memberi dari sebuah 'pedas' bau, tajam, seperti bubuk kari yang lebih rendah yang mungkin akan mengandung terlalu banyak fenugreek.
Rasa: Powerfull, aromatik dan pahit, seperti gula gosong. Ada aftertaste pahit, mirip dengan seledri atau lovage.




Di mana tumbuh? - Fenugreek adalah masyarakat adat ke pantai timur Laut Tengah, tetapi tumbuh di India, Maroko, Mesir dan Inggris. Jamu dapat tumbuh menjadi sekitar dua meter. Itu mekar bunga putih di musim panas dan memiliki benih sangat aromatik.




Apa itu digunakan? - Fenugreek biji tanah dan dipanggang dan digunakan untuk bumbu kari. Benih juga basah dan kemudian bubuk dan digunakan untuk membuat lip balm dan tonik. Benih dapat digunakan untuk membuat teh, yang dapat mengurangi demam dan nyeri menstruasi, atau mereka dapat digunakan dalam sebuah salep untuk mengobati infeksi kulit. Bibit juga telah digunakan untuk meningkatkan libido pada pria dan berfungsi sebagai afrodisiak. Biji tanah sering digunakan untuk memberikan mapel rasa untuk permen dan permen. Tanah biji juga digunakan untuk membumbui makanan ternak, termasuk makanan dan sayuran yang berbeda Hays. Fenugreek's daun, yang tinggi zat besi, digunakan dalam salad. Diambil secara internal, fenugreek digunakan untuk mengobati bronkitis, batuk, gangguan pernapasan, kondisi sinus dan untuk meningkatkan suplai susu (lihat lebih di bawah).




Fenugreek dalam sejarah - orang Mesir, Yunani dan Romawi menggunakan obat dan Fenugreek untuk keperluan memasak. Menurut Kathleen E. Huggins, RN, MS, Direktur Klinik Menyusui di San Luis Obispo General Hospital, fenugreek adalah salah satu bahan utama Lydia E. Pinkham 's Vegetable Compound, yang populer abad ke-19 obat yang menghilangkan semua "keluhan wanita. "




Fenugreek dan menyusui - Fenugreek biji mengandung prekursor hormon yang meningkatkan suplai susu. Ilmuwan tidak tahu pasti bagaimana hal ini terjadi. Beberapa percaya ini dimungkinkan karena payudara adalah kelenjar keringat dimodifikasi, dan fenugreek merangsang produksi keringat. Telah ditemukan bahwa fenugreek dapat meningkatkan air susu ibu menyusui pasokan dalam waktu 24 hingga 72 jam setelah pertama kali mengambil rempah. Sekali tingkat yang memadai produksi susu tercapai, sebagian besar wanita dapat menghentikan fenugreek dan menjaga pasokan susu dengan payudara yang memadai stimulasi. Banyak wanita saat ini mengambil fenugreek dalam bentuk pil (tanah biji ditempatkan dalam kapsul). Pil dapat ditemukan di kebanyakan vitamin dan gizi di banyak toko dan supermarket dan toko makanan alami. Fenugreek juga dapat diambil dalam bentuk teh, walaupun teh diyakini kurang kuat dibandingkan pil dan teh datang dengan rasa pahit yang dapat sulit untuk perut.

Fenugreek tidak benar untuk semua orang. Rempah telah menyebabkan gejala asma parah di beberapa wanita dan telah menurunkan kadar glukosa darah dalam beberapa wanita dengan diabetes. Baca Fenugreek Peringatan dan Dr Ruth Lawrence artikel Herbal dan Menyusui untuk informasi lebih lanjut tentang fenugreek.
What is fenugreek? - Fenugreek is one of the world's oldest medicinal herbs. It has a variety of uses, including increasing breastmilk production.

Fenugreek is the small stony seeds from the pod of a bean-like plant. The seeds are hard, yellowish brown and angular. Some are oblong, some rhombic, other virtually cubic, with a side of about 3mm (1/8"). A deep furrow all but splits them in two. They are available whole and dried , or as a dull yellow powder, ground from the roasted seeds. Bouquet: Warm and penetrating, becoming more pronounced when the seeds are roasted. Ground, they give off a 'spicy' smell, pungent, like an inferior curry powder which would probably contain too much fenugreek. Flavor: Powerful, aromatic and bittersweet, like burnt sugar. There is a bitter aftertaste, similar to celery or lovage.


Where does it grow? - Fenugreek is indigenous to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, but it is grown in India, Morocco, Egypt and England. The herb can grow to be about two feet tall. It blooms white flowers in the summer and has very aromatic seeds.



What is it used for ? - Fenugreek seeds are ground and roasted and used to flavor to curry. The seeds are also soaked and then powdered and used to make lip balm and tonic. The seeds can be used to make tea, which can reduce fever and menstrual pains, or they can be used in an ointment to treat skin infections. The seeds have also been used to increase libido in men and serve as an aphrodisiac. Ground seeds are often used to give a maple flavor to sweets and candies. Ground seeds are also used to flavor cattle food, including different vegetable meals and hays. Fenugreek's leaves, which are high in iron, are used in salads. Taken internally, fenugreek is used to treat bronchitis, coughs, respiratory problems, sinus conditions and to increase milk supply (see more below).



Fenugreek in history - The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used Fenugreek for medicinal and culinary purposes. According to Kathleen E. Huggins, RN, MS, director of the Breastfeeding Clinic at San Luis Obispo General Hospital, fenugreek was one of the major ingredients of Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, a popular 19^th century cure-all for "female complaints."



Fenugreek and breastfeeding - Fenugreek seeds contain hormone precursors that increase milk supply. Scientists do not know for sure how this happens. Some believe it is possible because breasts are modified sweat glands, and fenugreek stimulates sweat production. It has been found that fenugreek can increase a nursing mother's milk supply within 24 to 72 hours after first taking the herb. Once an adequate level of milk production is reached, most women can discontinue the fenugreek and maintain the milk supply with adequate breast stimulation. Many women today take fenugreek in a pill form (ground seeds placed in capsules). The pills can be found at most vitamin and nutrition stores and at many supermarkets and natural foods stores. Fenugreek can also be taken in tea form, although tea is believed to be less potent than the pills and the tea comes with a bitter taste that can be hard to stomach.

Fenugreek is not right for everyone. The herb has caused aggravated asthma symptoms in some women and has lowered blood glucose levels in some women with diabetes. Please read Fenugreek Precautions and Dr. Ruth Lawrence's article Herbs and Breastfeeding for more information on fenugreek.

What is Fenugreek?

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Fenugreek FAQ

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Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Fenugreek seed has been used to increase milk production since biblical times. The herb contains phytoestrogens, which are plant chemicals similar to the female sex hormone estrogen. A key compound, diosgenin, has been shown experimentally to increase milk flow.(0)

What is Fenugreek?

Fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum L., is an erect annual herb native to southern Europe and Asia. Undoubtedly one of the oldest cultivated medicinal plants, fenugreek is widely grown today in the Mediterranean countries, Argentina, France, India, North Africa, and the United States as a food, condiment, medicinal, dye, and forage plant (11.1-128). The plant reaches a height of 0.3 to 0.8 meters and has trifoliate leaves. White flowers appear in early summer and develop into long, slender, yellow-brown pods containing the brown seeds of fenugreek commerce. (1)

Fenugreek and Breastfeeding

Fenugreek seeds contain hormone precursors that increase milk supply. Scientists do not know for sure how this happens. Some believe it is possible because breasts are modified sweat glands, and fenugreek stimulates sweat production. It has been found that fenugreek can increase a nursing mother's milk supply within 24 to 72 hours after first taking the herb. Once an adequate level of milk production is reached, most women can discontinue the fenugreek and maintain the milk supply with adequate breast stimulation. Many women today take fenugreek in a pill form (ground seeds placed in capsules). The pills can be found at most vitamin and nutrition stores and at many supermarkets and natural foods stores. Fenugreek can also be taken in tea form, although tea is believed to be less potent than the pills and the tea comes with a bitter taste that can be hard to stomach. Fenugreek is not right for everyone. The herb has caused aggravated asthma symptoms in some women and has lowered blood glucose levels in some women with diabetes.

http://216.167.14.128/all_about/all_about_fenugreek.html

How Much do I Need to Take?

Fenugreek Capsule Form (580-610 mg)

2-4 capsules, 3 times per day --- 6-12 capsules (total) per day
1200-2400 mg, 3 times per day (3.5-7.3 grams/day) (3)
German Commission E recommends a daily intake of 6 grams (4)

I recommend that you only purchase Fenugreek from a reputable Herbal store, the quality is generally superior to that found in chain discount stores.

Safety

Fenugreek is considered safe for nursing moms when used in moderation and is on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's GRAS list (Generally Recognized As Safe). As with most medications and herbs, various side effects have been noted; see the potential side effects and safety information below. (8)

Per Thomas Hale PhD, Medications and Mothers Milk 2006 ,"The transfer of fenugreek into milk is unknown, but untoward effects have not been reported." Hale classifies it in Lactation Risk Category L3 (moderately safe). (9)

Potential Side Effects

• Sweat and urine smells like maple syrup (this is common and often a sign that you have reached the right dose)
• Loose stools in some women, which go away when fenugreek is discontinued
• Hypoglycemia in some mothers
• Can cause uterine contractions - do NOT use if you're pregnant
• Diabetic mothers should use caution with fenugreek since it can cause lowering of blood glucose levels. (5)

Little Known Uses

Fenugreek has an age old reputation as a breast enlarger and contains diosgenin which is used to make synthetic estrogen and has been shown to promote the growth of breast cells. You can drink fenugreek as a tea, use it in yogurt, applesauce or soups, or make a light mixture with any lotion and massage it directly into the breasts. It may also aid in increasing sexual desire in women as well as increasing breast beauty and health. Fenugreek contains choline which may aid the thinking process, and antioxidants that slow aging and help prevent disease. It is also helpful in calming PMS and symptoms of menopause. Fenugreek is also considered to be an aphrodiasiac and rejuvenator. (6)

Active Constituents and Proposed Mechanism of Action

The steroidal saponins account for many of the beneficial effects of fenugreek, particularly the inhibition of cholesterol absorption and synthesis.2 The seeds are rich in dietary fiber, which may be the main reason they can lower blood sugar levels in diabetes.3 One human study found that fenugreek can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels in persons with moderate atherosclerosis and non-insulin-dependent diabetes.4 Randomized and uncontrolled studies have confirmed fenugreek helps stabilize blood sugar control in patients with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes.5 6 7 It helps lower elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood,8 including in those with diabetes,9 according to several controlled studies. Generally fenugreek does not lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. This type of cholesterol is believed to be beneficial. (7)

Active Ingredients

Fenugreek seeds contain alkaloids (mainly trigonelline) and protein high in lysine and L-tryptophan. Its steroidal saponins (diosgenin, yamogenin, tigogenin, and neotigogenin) and mucilaginous fiber are thought to account for many of the beneficial effects of fenugreek. The steroidal saponins are thought to inhibit cholesterol absorption and synthesis,2 while the fiber may help lower blood sugar levels.3 One human study found that fenugreek can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels in people with moderate atherosclerosis and non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes.4 Preliminary and double-blind trials have found that fenugreek helps improve blood sugar control in patients with insulin-dependent (type 1) and non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes.5 6 7 Double-blind trials have shown that fenugreek lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood,8 9 This has also been found in a controlled clinical trial with diabetic patients with elevated cholesterol.10 Generally, fenugreek does not lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. (10)

BOTANICAL NAME: Trigonella foenum-graecum L.	FAMILY NAME: Fabaceae
Name in International Languages
Spanish : Alholva Or Fenogreco	Dutch : Fenegriek
French : Fenugrec	Italian : Fieno Greco
German : Bockshorklee	Portuguese : Alforva
Swedish : Bockshornklee	Russian : Pazhitnik
Arabic : Hulba	Chinese : k'u - Tou
Japanese : Koroha	Finnish : Sarviapila

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Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Synonyms
(View the names of this plant in 76 languages)

pharmaceutical	Semen Foenugraeci
Albanian	Kopër Greqie, Trëndetina yzerlike, Trëndetinë, Yzerlik
Amharic	አብሽ
	Abish
Arabic	حلبه, حلبة
	حُلْبَة
	Hulba, Hilbeh
Armenian	Chaiman
Assamese	মেথি, মিথি, মিথি গুটি
	Methi, Mithi, Mithi guti
Basque	Allibre, Allorbe
Belarusian	Пажытнік грэчаскі
	Pažytnik grečaski
Bengali	মেথি
	Methi
Bulgarian	Сминдух, Сминдух гръцки, Тилчец, Чимен
	Sminduh, Sminduh grutski, Tilchets, Chimen
Burmese	Penantazi
Catalan	Fenigrec
Chinese (Cantonese)	葫蘆巴 [wùh lòuh bā]
	Wuh louh ba
Chinese (Mandarin)	葫蘆巴 [hú lú bā], 胡芦巴 [hú lú bā]
	Hu lu ba
Croatian	Grčka djetlina, Grčko sijeno, Piskavica
Czech	Pískavice řecké seno, Senenka
Danish	Bukkehornskløver, Bukkehorns-frø
Dhivehi	އޯބައިޔް, އޯބަތް
	Oabaiy, Oabath
Dogri	मेथी
	Methi
Dutch	Fenegriek
Esperanto	Fenugreko
Estonian	Kreeka lambalääts, Põld-lambalääts
Farsi	شنبلیله
	Shanbalile
Finnish	Sarviapila
French	Fenugrec, Sénegré, Trigonelle
Galician	Fenogreco, Alforfa
German	Bockshornklee, Griechisch Heu
Georgian	სოლინჯი, ჩამანი
	Solinji, Chaman
Greek	Τριγωνέλλα, Μοσχοσίταρο
	Trigonella, Moschositaro
Greek (Old)	Τῆλις
	Telis
Gujarati	મેથી
	Methi
Hebrew	חילבה
	חִילבֶּה
	Hilbeh
Hindi	कसूरी मेथी, मेथी, साग मेथी
	Kasuri methi, Methi, Sag methi
Hungarian	Görögszéna
Indonesian	Kelabet, Klabat, Kelabat
Italian	Fieno greco
Japanese	コロハ, フェヌグリーク
	Koruha, Fenu-guriku
Kannada	ಮೆಂತೆ, ಮೆಂತ್ಯ
	Mente, Mentya
Kashmiri	میٹھ
	Meth
Korean	호로파, 페니그릭
	Horopa, Penigurik
Latin	Fænum Græcum
Latvian	Sierāboliņš
Lithuanian	Vaistinė ožragė
Macedonian	Грчко семе
	Grčko seme
Maithili	मेथी
	Methi
Malay	Halba, Kelabet
Malayalam	ഉലുവാ, ഉലുവ, വെന്തയം
	Uluva, Venthayam
Marathi	मेथी
	Methi
Nepali	मेथी
	Methi
Newari (Nepalbhasa)	मी
	Mi
Norwegian	Bukkehornkløver
Oriya	ମେଥୀ
	Methi
Pahlavi	Shabaliidag
Polish	Kozieradka pospolita; Nasiona kozieradki (fenugreek seeds)
Portuguese	Feno-grego, Alfarva, Alforba, Fenacho
Provençal	Senigré
Punjabi	ਮੇਥੀ
	Methi
Romanian	Molotru, Molotru comun, Schinduf
Russian	Пажитник греческий, Шамбала, Пажитник сенной
	Pazhitnik grecheski, Shambala, Pazhitnik cennoj
Sanskrit	Methika
Serbian	Пискавица, Грчко семе
	Piskavica, Grčko seme
Sinhala	උලුහාල්, උළුහාල්
	Uluhal
Slovak	Pískavica, Senovka grécka
Slovenian	Grško seno, Sabljasti triplat
Spanish	Alholva, Fenogreco
Swahili	Uwatu
Swedish	Bockhornsklöver
Tamil	மேதி, வெந்தயம், வேதனி
	Meti, Vendayam, Vetani
Telugu	మెంతులు
	Mentikura, Mentulu
Thai	ลูกซัด
	Luk sat
Tibetan	མི་ཏི་
	Mi ti
Tigrinya	ኣባዕከ
	Abaka
Turkish	Çemen, Çimen, Boy tohumu†, Buyotu, Hulbe, Kokulu yonca
Ukrainian	Гуньба сінна
	Hunba sinna
Urdu	میتھی, شنبلید, کسوری میتھی
	Methi, Shanbalid; Kasuri methi (herb)
Vietnamese	Cỏ ca ri, Hồ lô ba
	Co cari, Ho lo ba
Yiddish	כילבע, פֿעגרעקום
	Khilbe, Fenigrekum

Note

Fenugreek is sometimes confused with its close relative blue fenugreek, especially in the context of Georgian cuisine.

Fenugreek plant

Fenugreek seeds

Used plant part

The brownish-yellow seeds of rhombic shape (about 3 mm). Indians also like the fresh leaves, which are eaten as a very tasty vegetable and prepared like spinach, or dried and used as a flavouring. The leaves of a related plant (blue fenugreek), which appear in Central European cooking, can be substituted by fenugreek leaves.

Plant family

Fabaceae (bean family).

Sensory quality

Bitter and aromatic. The leaves’ fragrance slightly resembles lovage.

Main constituents

Fenugreek seeds contains only minute quantities of an essential oil. In the essential oil, 40 different compounds were found, furthermore, n-alkanes, sesquiterpenes, alkanoles and lactones were reported.

Fenugreek flower

Fenugreek (plants with ripening fruits). Note the long pods!

The dominant aroma component in fenugreek seeds is a hemi­terpenoid γ-lactone, sotolone (3-hydroxy 4,5-dimethyl 2(5H)-furan­one), which is contained in concen­trations up to 25 ppm. It supposedly forms by oxidative deamination of 4-hydroxy isoleucine. Sotolone has a spicy flavour and was also found a key flavour in fermented protein seasonings, e.g., Maggi sauce. There is chemical similarity between sotolone and the phthalides responsible for the quite similar flavour of lovage leaves. (ACS Symposium Series, 660, 1997)

Toasted fenugreek seeds owe their altered, more nutty flavour to another type of heterocyclic compounds, the so-called pyrazines. See cumin for further information.

Fenugreek leaves were found to contain small amounts of sesquiterpenes (cadinene, α-cadinol, γ-eudesmol and α-bisabolol). (Journal of Essential Oil Research, 16, 356, 2004)

Among the non-volatile components of fenugreek seeds, the furostanol glycosides are probably responsible for the bitter taste; among the several more compounds yet identified, steroles and diosgenin derivatives (of potential interest for the pharmaceutical industry) and trigonellin (N-methyl-pyridinium-3-carboxylate, 0.4%) are most worth noting.

Origin

From the Mediterranean to China.

Etymology

Trigonella is a latinized diminutive of Greek trigonon [τρίγωνον] triangle, composed of treis [τρεῖς] three and gony [γόνυ] knee, angle (see also Vietnamese coriander); it probably refers to the triangular shape of the flowers. Cf. also the Yiddish term for the genus, draykantl [דרײַקאַנטל] three-edged.

The Latin species name foenum graecum means Greek hay, referring to both the intensive hay fragrance of dried fenugreek herb and its Eastern Mediterranean origin. That Latin name still lives in many European tongues, e.g., English fenugreek or Dutch fenegriek. Note that in some of these languages, the name for fennel may look similar, because fennel also derives from Latin foenum hay.

Other languages use adaptions of foenum graecum, like Slovak grško seno Greek hay and Estonian kreeka lambalääts Greek clover. Despite the strong association with Greece, the classical Greek name of fenugreek, telis [τῆλις], has vanished without a trace from modern languages (maybe with the exception of Bulgarian tilchets [тилчец]?).

Fenugreek flower www.biozak.de

Several Germanic languages have closely related names, e.g., German Bockshorn­klee, Swedish bockhorns­klöver and Norwegian bukkehorn­kløver buck’s horn’s clover. These names refer to the long, pointed fruits (legumes) which may be compared with a buck’s horn. Similar names meaning buck’s horn are also given to the large pods of St. John’s Bread (Carob) regionally.

Spanish alholva and Portuguese alforba are, like many other plant names used on the Iberic peninsula (see also capers), borrowed from Arabic: al-hulbah [الحلبه] the fenugreek. The Arabic name hulbah [حلبه] is probably a native Semitic name deriving from the same root ḤLB milk that also lies behind the name of mahaleb cherry. In that case, that name would have been motivated by the strong galactagogue action of fenugreek which is widely used in folk medicine. The Hebrew cognate is hilbeh [חילבה], which appears in Yiddish as khilbe [כילבע].

Arabic hulbah is also the source for several names of fenugreek in Far Eastern languages: Malayalam uluva [ഉലുവ], Sinhala uluhal [උලුහාල්], Malay halba, Indonesian klabat, Chinese hu lu ba [葫蘆巴, 胡芦巴], Vietnamese ho lo ba [hồ lô ba] and Korean horopa [호로파].

Middle Persian sambalidag is the predecessor of modern Farsi shanbalileh [شنبلیله] or Urdu shanbalid [شنبلید]; it has been borrowed to Russian as shambala [шамбала]. Akkadian šambaliltu belongs to the same group, although the word is cetrainly not Semitic. Rather similar names are found in the Baltic countries (Finnish sarviapila, Latvian sierāboliņš), yet I do not understand the connection (if there is any). There is also a puzzling close match between Sumerian sullim [𒌑𒂙𒊬] and Georgian solinji [სოლინჯი], with no similar forms in adjacent languages.

Selected Links

Indian Spices: Fenugreek (indianetzone.com) A Pinch of Fenugreek (www.apinchof.com) The Epicentre: Fenugreek Medical Spice Exhibit: Fenugreek Nature One Health: Fenugreek Pflanzen des Capitulare de Villis: Bockshornklee (biozac.de) Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association: Fenugreek Recipe: Khoreshte Ghorme Sabzi [خورشت قرمه سبزی] (www.farhangsara.com) Recipe: Ghorme Sabzi [قرمه سبزی] (www.persia.org) Recipe: Aloo methi [आलू मेथी] (Potatoes with fresh fenugreek leaves) (www.veggievilla.com) Recipe: Aloo methi [आलू मेथी] (Potatoes with dried fenugreek leaves) (www.recipecottage.com)

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Fenugreek plants

Fenugreek is an ancient spice, although currently not much known in the West; it has been grown as a medicinal plant in Europe during the Middle Ages (see also lovage). Today, many people in Western countries seem to dislike its flavour, which they claim to be goaty and bitter. It is now mostly used in the West, Central and South Asia; in India, it is popular for pickles. Dry toasting can enhance the flavour and reduce the bitterness, provided care is taken not to overheat the seeds.

Fenugreek leaves are an important spice from Central Asia to Northern India; in Northern India, they are sometimes found in the typical yeast bread naan (then called methi naan [मेथी नान]); in South India, dried fenugreek leaves are often used as a flavouring for potato curries.

Iran has a particularly rich tradition in cooking with fenugreek leaves; among the most famous examples is ghorme sabzi [قرمه سبزی], a thick sauce made from fresh or dried vegetables (leek, onion, occasionally beans) and herbs (fenugreek, parsley, mint; some recipes also call for chives and coriander leaves). The sauce acquires a characteristic acidic flavour by addition of dried limes. Khoreshte ghorme sabzi [خورشت قرمه سبزی] is mutton slowly stewed in this aromatic herb sauce.

The more important spice, however, is fenugreek seeds, which is used in a much larger area, and whose use is more general, not restricted to specific dishes.

While Western Asia is generally not fond of fenugreek (the closely related blue fenugreek, however, is much used in Georgia), the spice is known and valued in the Red Sea region, where it has a long history: Egyptian papyri mention the plant as one necessary for the mummification process. The Ethiopian spice mixture berbere (see long pepper) contains small amounts of fenugreek. Yemeni cooking shows a particularly strong inclination towards fenugreek, as the national sauce hilbeh consists mainly of fenugreek seeds and chiles; that recipe has also found many friends in Israel.

In most of India, especially the south, fenugreek is indispensible; it is usually toasted and ground with other spices to give countless spice blends, or fried in oil to improve its flavour. Small amounts of fenugreek should be found in any good curry powders (see curry leaves). Fenugreek is also popular in the South of India and appears in the ubiquitous Tamil spice mixture sambar podi (see cumin). Lastly, the bitter-aromatic seeds constitute an essential part of the Bengali five spice mixture panch phoron (see nigella).

As a general rule, South India has its spices toasted to a darker colour and flavour than the North; yet the darkest fenugreek seeds ever I encountered near the Northern edge of the Indian subcontinent. Newari cooking, located in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal, is famous for a number of spicy snacks rich in fresh garlic (see there for more) and dried chiles. Some of the vegetable salads are sprinkled with fenugrek seeds that are no longer brown but plainly black due to excessive toasting. Yet in these extremely spicy, salty and acidic salads, the burnt and bitter flavour actually provides an interesting contrast, for example in achar [आचार] (hot and sour salad from bean sprouts and julienned cucumber and carrot) and also in the kochila [कोचिला] (highly spiced pan-fried ground buffalo meat which is eaten either raw or pan-fried).

The wide-spread popularity of this bitter spice may surprise Western cooks; although bitterness arises unpleasant associations in most people, culinary use of bitter taste is a theme found all over the globe. Of the spices discussed on this page, many have a more or less significantly bitter character. See zedoary for more on that topic.