Fenugreek:
 

Cuisine

The cuboid yellow to amber coloured fenugreek seeds are frequently used in the preparation of pickles, curry powders, and curry paste, and the spice is often encountered in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent.[5] The dried leaves – also called kasuri methi (or kasoori methi in North India and Pakistan), after the region of Kasur in Punjab, Pakistan province, where it grows abundantly – have a bitter taste and a characteristically strong smell. When harvested as microgreens, it also known as Samudra Methi, in Maharashtra, especially in and around Mumbai, where it is often grown near the sea in the sandy tracts, hence the name (Samudra means "ocean" in Sanskrit)[6]. It is calledMenthium or Venthayam(வெந்தயம்) in Tamil and Menthya (ಮೆಂತ್ಯ) in Kannada.
Fenugreek is used in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine.[7] The word for fenugreek in Amharic is abesh (or abish), and the seed is used in Ethiopia as a natural herbal medicine in the treatment of diabetes.[7]
Yemenite Jews following the interpretation of Rabbi Salomon Isaacides, Rashi of Talmūd, believe Fenugreek, which they call Helba (חילבה) is the Talmudic Rubia (רוביא). They use Fenugreek to produce Hilba, a foamy sauce reminiscent of curry, consumed daily but ceremoniously during the meal of the first and/or second night of Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year).



does it taste like curry?

re: Fenugreek
 

Fenugreek seeds have a powerful flavor and are a prominent ingredient in many curries, esp yellow curries, so, basically, depending on the type of curry, yes, it will taste a lot like fenugreek seed.

However, I don't know what part of the plant is "cooked" - as in what Mari's husband prepared - but i doubt they just ate steamed seeds? I also don't know how much the parts you'd steam taste like the seeds/curry.

We'll have to wait for Mari to tell us more. I am curious too. i didn't know other parts of fenugreek were used in cooking.

~ waves ~

i dared to get on the scale today and i haven't gained any weight since the three pounds. I am trying now to watch my calories and carbohydrates but i did that for two months and didn't lose any weight. didn't gain any either.
bobby

Bobby

You were worrying also. So hopefully with some of that gone
it will help. I find when I have that kind of pressure I don't lose
for sure. I'm luck if I don't gain.

Donna:grouphug:

I read somewhere that too much coffee can be constipating....maybe I will try cutting back.
heated up some diet green tea, it is usually served cold, iced tea. My health food store is discontinuing it, it says it is all natural , but has sucrolose (splenda) in it which is not natural, maybe that is why they are discontinuing it. It was cheap so I thought I would try it. I liked it hot it is warm and comforting. one reason I like coffee the feel of a warm coffee cup in my hands...I get cold easily.
bizi

Dear Bobby,
You are doing great on your food plan

Mari

Fennel
 

Hi,
I meant to type Fennel
I messed up by mis-typing Fennel for Fenugreek. Sorry Ladies.
A couple of weeks ago I was looking in the spices section for fenugreek and fennel. Maybe before that they were already mixed up in my head.

Hubby made two dishes with nearly the same ingredients. The soup contained boxed chicken stock and leaves of the fenugreek:

Dish One -- First he made a big steamed dish:
green beans
pre-washed baby carrots
fenugreek -- thickly sliced perpendicular across the stalks -- I appreciated the "roundness:"
garlic
water


Dish two -- Next he made a soup mostly for himself:
Boxed chicken stock
Pre-washed baby carrots
a little bit of the fenugreek stalk
the leaves / tops of the fenugreek
garlic


Hubby has an inclination to throw lots of things in his dishes. I asked him to put in only a few ingredients and no spices so I could appreciate the fenugreek.

Next we could try slow roasting it with some oil.
=-=-
NOW
If only I could find the spice jar I brought home to see which one I have in "spice" form in my place.

M

Fennel seeds
 

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/o...l/images-3.jpg

Hi,
I have Fennel Seeds in a spice jar from Publix. Hubby has eaten the whole seeds at Indian restaurants where they add bright colors to the seeds and serve them in a little pretty dish after dinner.

Here is a picture I found of Orange-Fennel-Carmel-Corn with Pistachio Nuts:
http://www.tablefare.com/recipes/ind...Pistachio-Nuts
It calls for two teaspoons of whole fennel seeds.


http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/o...el-popcorn.jpg

People also add fennel seeds to meat balls, pork chops, grilled chicken, and so on.

When I get a hold of some fenugreek I will report.



Mari

it was weird but i got on the scale today and was two pounds less so i have only gained one pound. I realize i have to force myself to weigh myself every day so i will catch myself if i start gaining. I really was afraid that i had gained five more pounds. thank you. I am holding up on the oatmeal now until i speak to my doctor and ask him if it is okay for my diabetes. I have read different things on the net about diabetes and oatmeal and don't know what to believe. I have so much steel cut oatmeal in the apartment now.
bobby

Bobby

That is fantastic, that being you didn't gain how you thought.

So keep weighing in because it might even read better next time.


The oatmeal side I agree talk to the doctor. I eat some oatmeal
when I crave it. But I also eat other things when I crave them too.

HEehee


I am breaking from my diet ideas today. I ordered a pepperoni, and
one sausagi and one cheese pizza. Yes, I mean three.

But I'm not eating them all myself. I'm taking them to Parent and child
day at Derrick's school. I didn't feel it was right for Derrick and I to
eat pizza in front of his friends so I bought 3 for us all.

Donna:grouphug::hug: