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!!

Use a lot of fenugreek (methi) in your culinary preparations.

For the simple reason that it is so healthy . This wonder herb, a very popular vegetable in the Indian cuisine is a nature’s boon to mankind. Besides, it is so appetizing, light and dry. Rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron in their natural forms, its mineral and vitamin contents are also very high and this is easily assimilated by our body.

Lecithin is an important nutrient for brain. This is found more in fenugreek. This helps in increasing memory power.
Both the leaves and seeds of this bitter tasting vegetable are fit for consumption; the seeds are generally used as a condiment and for flavoring. Research has shown that the regular long term use of methi seeds reduces deposits of fat in the body and lowers cholesterol. However make sure you wash the leaves well before using. Is the goodness of this vegetable just restricted to being a health food? No. It has exceptional medicinal uses and can be used as beauty aid as well.

Medicinal uses and home remedies with Methi (fenugreek)

* Methi seeds are nourishing and rejuvenating, with the properties of a stimulant. If you experience fatigue or troubled by backache and other body aches, just eat a teaspoon of methi seeds daily. Also include lots of fenugreek leaves in your diet. This is an age-old tried and tested remedy; it has worked for me. You can try it too.

* Eating a teaspoon of methi seeds or drinking juice of methi seeds (soak methi seeds in water the previous night and then grind it to extract a paste or juice.) the first thing in the morning or an hour before each meal is found to be highly beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. In fact, many naturopaths have ascertained this fact.

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.


One of the better ways to consume methi
The most effective way to eat methi seeds is to sprout them a little, then dry the sprouts, powder them and include in the everyday diet. You can have it in powdered form, as a decoction and herb tea.

# 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.

Methi as a beauty aid

* Paste of the fresh leaves and coconut milk applied over the scalp is believed to prevent hair
loss promote hair growth, preserve its natural color, delay graying of hair and make it silky
soft.
* Add the powder of methi seeds with coconut oil and massage it on your scalp. Wash it off the
next day with cold water. This helps to prevent premature graying of hair.
* A paste of methi leaves mixed with vinegar is good for treating dandruff.
* Applying the paste of fenugreek leaves and turmeric on your face is very good for pimple
and blackhead prone skin.
* Make a paste of fenugreek leaves and add boiled milk to it. Applying this to your face delays
the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It not just improves the complexion but also makes
one look years younger.