Ripe fruit of an annual herb, this robust herb has light green leaves, is 30 -60 cm long, and produces slender, beaked pods, 10-15 cm long, each pod contains 10-20 small hard yellowish-brown seeds, which are smooth and oblong, about 3mm long, each grooved across one corner, giving them a hooked appearance.
Fenugreek is a native of South-Eastern Europe and West Asia, now cultivated in India, Argentina, Egypt, and Mediterranean countries. In India, it is grown extensively in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab. It is a cold season crop and is fairly tolerant to frost and very low temperatures. Best suited to tracts of moderate to low rainfall, Fenugreek is often sown in all types of soil but performs better in loam and clayey loam with proper drainage. It can also be grown on black cotton soils.
Fenugreek is used both as a food and food additive as well as in medicines. Fresh tender pods, leaves, and shoot saree Atenas curried vegetables. As a spice, it �avours food. Powder of dried leave sisal so used for garnishing and �avouring a variety of foods.
Fenugreek extract is used as a flavoring agent of imitation. It is one of the principal constituents of curry powder. These are used in cases of colitis, dysentery, diarrhea, chronic cough, enlargement of the liver and spleen, rickets, gout, and diabetes. It is also used as an acarminative, tonic, and aphrodisiac. Fenugreek oil is used in the manufacture of hair tonics.
