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Menthi - Methi, Fenugreek Seeds (Indian Spice)

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One of the healthiest Indian spices that I use in my cooking is fenugreek seeds, called methi(hindi), menthulu(telugu) and venthyam(tamil). When Mythili of Vindu invited me to participate in Mistress of Spices event, to blog a spice of my choice, I knew what spice I was going to write about. Yes, methulu!!

Fenugreek Seeds, Methi Seeds, Menthulu

  • Name : Fenugreek seeds, methi (hindi), menthulu (telugu)
  • Origin: Indigenous to countries on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean and cultivated in India, Egypt and Africa.
  • Botanical name:Trigonella foenum-graecum L
  • Family name:Fabaceae
  • Plant Family: Leguminosae
  • Common Names: Bird’s Foot, Bockshornklee, Greek Hayseed, Goat’s Horn, Methi

    • Fenugreek seeds, an ancient spice, with a slightly bitter taste, are small, hard, yellowish-brown, smooth and oblong shaped.The fresh tender green leaves of the fenugreek plant, called methi or menthi, have a bitter-sweet flavor and used as a regular green vegetable in Indian cuisine like dals and vegetables.

    Fenugreek seeds can be sprouted, have a slight pungent-sweet flavor and used to prepare salads. The dried form of fenugreek leaves, called “kasoori methi”, is a popular spice used to enhance the flavor of Indian dishes.

    Fenugreek seeds should be lightly dry roasted before using to enhance the flavor of the dish and reduce the bitterness of the spice. The more you roast, the more the bitterness. Adding these dry roasted seeds as it is or in powdered form to a gravy or dal dish lends the dish a tangy and mellow characteristic curry flavor. Soaking the seeds in water overnight, makes them soft and jelly-like and these swelled up seeds can be easily made into a paste.

    The six tastes, sweet,salty, sour, bitter, astringent, bitter and hot, advocated by Ayurveda balances our diet for optimum health and nutrition and an easy way to get the bitter taste to our diet is to add fenugreek seeds to our foods.

    Fenugreek seeds, methi, menthulu
  • Medical research shows that fenugreek seeds lowers blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

  • It was also known to cure constipation, as a powerful expectorant, and is used as herbal infusion to break up respiratory congestion.
  • An ancient ayurvedic cure for dandruff - soak some seeds in water overnight, grind to a paste, apply onto the scalp and hair, leave for 20 mts and rinse. It also tones the hair, giving it a silky feel and shine.
  • Fenugreek seed paste or methi in powder form can be used as a face pack also, helps to tone the skin and cure acne.
  • Fenugreek seeds can be sun dried, powdered and stored. My tatayya (grandfather) who was a diabetic (for 40 years of his life) used to have one tsp of this powder daily or soaked seeds along with water (soaked in water overnight) early in the morning.

    • Read more about the uses, storage, medicinal properties and benefits of fenugreek seeds.

    Note:

    Pregnant women should be cautious in using methi because of its uterine properties, it relaxes the uterine. Its generally given to women after childbirth to expedite healing. It also helps stimulate milk production in nursing mothers. Its advisable to seek medical advise before the use of fenugreek seeds for curing any ailment.

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    By sailu • Jun 5th, 2006 • Category: All Recipes, Spice Powders & Podis

    20 Responses »

    1. Puspha on June 5th, 2006 at 12:10 pm:

      Thank u very much for the bulk of info. Great presentation.

    2. sudha vinodh on June 5th, 2006 at 12:51 pm:

      Very informative sailu..Thanks for sharing such wonderful information

      My pleasure, Sudha..:)

    3. Mythili on June 5th, 2006 at 1:22 pm:

      Too much ! Just too much. Super write-up and very informative too…

      Thanks for participating in MoS.

      Thank you, Mythili. Thanks for hosting this event and I enjoyed
      participating in MoS!!

    4. Ashwini on June 5th, 2006 at 3:41 pm:

      Very informative Sailu. Amd I loved the dal photos…just gorgeous

      Thank you, Ashwini.

    5. Vaishali on June 5th, 2006 at 4:20 pm:

      Great write-up, Sailu. Very informative.

      Thank you, Vaishali.

    6. vineela on June 5th, 2006 at 5:00 pm:

      Nice Writeup.good information,Sailu.
      Vineela

      Thank you, Vineela.

    7. shankari on June 5th, 2006 at 9:18 pm:

      Very informative blog…great job!

      Thank you, Shankari.

    8. lera on June 5th, 2006 at 10:33 pm:

      sailu, it’s quite an informative post.

      Lera, there was more info I wanted to post, probably will do another
      post on home remedies with methi, sometime

    9. Priti on June 6th, 2006 at 3:39 pm:

      Wow!!! I love your presentation and the pictures. Amazing. Food blogs is what got me motivated enough to start my own blog. It is not a food blog, but its a start.
      I can’t wait to try out some of your recipes. I am eyeing the Capsicum Masala rice….yummy!

      Thanks for dropping by my blog and your kind words, Priti.
      Capsicum masala rice is a very simple and tasty dish, worth trying.
      You will enjoy it for sure..:)
      On my to visiting your blog, Priti…

    10. Aparna on June 8th, 2006 at 10:10 am:

      Hi sailaja,

      That was good info… and a great spice…I blogged fenugreek..i am going to link this.
      Thanks..

      Thank you, Nav. Same pinch!!

    11. Linda on June 8th, 2006 at 9:41 pm:

      Hi Sailu,

      Such lovely photos as usual… you and Indira are making me want to buy one of those dabbas from eBay…..

      And great tips! I loved the greens from the start, and now I know I can grind those little seeds after soaking overnight, I might not be so intimidated by them. Thanks!

      Linda, you will find that dabba in every indian kitchen. Its a dabba worth investing in.

    12. rashmir on March 10th, 2007 at 3:02 pm:

      sailu garu, recipes are very good and spice podis are superb. But, it would have been really great if the nuvvu podi is without vellulli cuz, I prefer to keep the north Indian stuff away from our traditional podis.

      Rashmir, each home have their own variations to the traditional podis. I do prepare with and without garlic. What is so N.Indian about adding garlic? Don’t we South Indians use garlic in our pachadis and podis? Correct me if I’m wrong.

    13. Heather on May 1st, 2007 at 11:36 am:

      Thanx 4 all this great info its really helped with my coursework. My stepbro is diabetic do you think i should tell him to do what your grandad did?

      Thanx again :) xx

      Sure, go ahead and tell him, Heather.

    14. Rob on June 8th, 2007 at 8:30 pm:

      I live in Florida and have been unable to find Fenugreek at any major grocery chain. Is it carried under a different name? Any suggestions on where to look?

      Thanks,

      Rob

      You will find them in the Indian or Asian stores.

    15. Cal on July 6th, 2007 at 1:09 pm:

      I buy my fenugreek from a local asian supermarket one of the main supermarket`s stock`s it but at 7times the price, I am diabetic and i use it in a smoothie along with sesame seeds and oats justa little bit and since using it i feel 100% better..

    16. roopa on March 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm:

      Hi sailu! good information on methi seeds, my mom also gave me useful info abt it. As per her advise, I soaked it and also let it sprout and used it in various curries. I also made payasam out of it. The note you gave at the bottom is true. I dont know how it affects pregnant ladies, but I have an info (i dont know if its common or heard of) , it causes irregular periods in girls. I dont know if its true, but my mom said it. so just passed it on :) good blog dear.

    17. vikas on March 14th, 2008 at 4:55 pm:

      cheers!!! very useful information….

      My mother in law said exactly the same things and then i found these here..so in a way it is cross checked that you and my mother in law both are correct…

      Regards,
      Vikas

    18. Lavanya on May 15th, 2008 at 12:19 am:

      Hi Sailu and Ladies,

      My Wife is 17 weeks Pregnant, She does take good intake like 2 glasses of Milk, 9 Badam seeds soaked, Gauva, Yoghurt and 1 Veg and Dal in lunch and dinner. She is Vegiterian to purest form, not even cake as it has egg. I am little worried about her intake, can you plz advice us on a good balanced Veg Andhra diet.

      Thanks a ton
      Chandu

    19. Chandu on May 15th, 2008 at 12:20 am:

      Hi Sailu and Ladies,

      My wife is 17 weeks pregnant. She does take good intake like 2 glasses of milk, 9 badam seeds soaked, gauva, yoghurt and 1 Veg and Dal in lunch and dinner. She is vegetarian to purest form, not even cake as it has egg. I am little worried about her intake, can you plz advice us on a good balanced, Veg Andhra diet.

      Thanks a ton,
      Chandu

    20. chandra sekhar on July 14th, 2008 at 1:08 pm:

      thank u for ur nice health comments given. can u pls suggest the correct in take of diet for breakfast, lunch & dinner to mantain balanced weight & health. i will be very thankful to u in this regard.
      pls give ur sugestions to all viewers to stay healthy strong.

      thanks,
      chandu

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