Easy Gardening with Great Benefits.

Fenugreek has been used as a food, spice and medicine. The seeds  and powdered seeds are used as a spice, the leaves of the plant are used as herbs (  fresh and dried ) in cooking, while the seed and leaves both have medicinal uses. The fenugreek seeds are lightly bitter, but the leaves are aromatic yet has unique and distinctive flavoring.

 How to grow Fenugreek in your backyard.

Fenugreek is the easiest vegetable gardening one can do, with quick results.  Just follow the few steps and you have your own homegrown Fenugreek to use in cooking.Take a table spoon of Fenugreek seeds and soak it in water overnight.  Planting dry seeds also works equally well.  Take a pot with good healthy soil or a patch in your vegetable raised beds.  Sprinkle these seeds and cover it with soil and water. The seedlings start growing within 3 days.  The young germinated plants can be harvested to be added to salads within a week. But if you let it grow couple of weeks a good size plant can be harvested which can be used as a herb and leafy vegetable. The leaves can be used fresh in cooking or stored in refrigerator for a week or freezer for much longer. The leaves can also be dried in shade for few days and stored in a jar, to be added to recipes.

Check out the growth and process in pictures below:-

Health Benefits of Fenugreek

Fenugreek has many health benefits, containing many vitamins, iron and minerals. It is known to help in combating diabetes by reducing blood cholesterol and urine sugar.  It’s known to help in stomach disorders and has digestive benefits.  Eating soaked fenugreek every morning is supposed to strengthen your stomach tissue layers if you are going through a stomach virus. Fenugreek leaves help in blood formation and purification hence recommended for women, and highly recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers. Fenugreek seeds are   known to be a coolant and hence great for summers.

Cooking with Fenugreek

Fenugreek leaves can be cooked with lamb or goat meat to make a flavorable curry; minced meat, potato and fenugreek leaves is a popular combination curry; Fenugreek leaves added to dough to make flat bread is very delicious; Fenugreek, peas and potatoes is another popular dish. Fenugreek and lentils dal/soup  is a very healthy and delicious; Fenugreek leaves added to any of your spinach recipes adds more flavor too.