Fenugreek, also known as Greek Hay, is an annual herb with a long
history of cultivation and culinary use dating to ancient Greece and
Rome. Today, the leaf is primarily used in Indian and Asian cooking,
while the whole seed is popular in Mediterranean, Asian, Middle Eastern
and African cuisines. As with other aromatic spices, the flavor of
fenugreek seed is enhanced when dry roasted or gently toasted in a
lightly oiled frying pan.
The seed is also widely used in the fragrance and pharmaceutical
industries. In terms of the latter, the seed is an abundant source of
sapogenin, a compound used to synthesize steroids.
