Botanical name: Trigonella foenum graecume
Fenugreek, also known as Bird's Foot and Greek Clover, is an annual herb native to the Mediterranean and Asia that produces highly aromatic seeds. The foliage and the seed of the plant are important agricultural crops and are featured in the cuisines of the region. In cooking, the bittersweet flavor of the seed improves with dry roasting or pan frying. Powdered fenugreek seed is usually blended with other spices and herbs to produce seasoning mixes for soups, sauces, stews and curries.
Fenugreek seed is also used as a food additive and flavoring in processed foods, most notably in artificial maple syrup. The seed is also a source of natural diosgenin, which is used to manufacture synthetic estrogen
