#002: FENUGREEK LEAVES LENTILS

Fenugreek (Trigonella Foeneum Graecum)is a common leaf vegetable in South Indian vegetarian cooking. Its leaves are small. Stems have no branches. The vegetable is sold in small bundles of plants of less than 6" length.

Names in Indian Languages: Kannada: Menthe Soppu; Malayalam: Venthiam Tamil: Venthayam; Telugu: Menti Kuura; Hindi: Methi.

TASTEa little bitter; a little peculiar smell.

FENUGREEK LEAVES AND LENTILS - BOILED
INGREDIENTS

1. Fenugreek leaves, plucked from stems, and washed to remove dirt: 100 gms.

2. Lentils (Redgram splits): 200 gms.

3. Salt to taste.

4. Red chilli powder to taste.

5. To add mild spices: groundnut oil 3 tsp; Red chillies 3; Black gram splits: half tsp; mustard seeds half tsp; asafoetoda: a little.
turmeric a little.

PREPARATION METHOD

Wash red-gram splits in water to remove dirt if any. Boil them till 50% soft. Add fenugreek leaves and boil the mixture till soft. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder.

Adding soft spice
This is called "tirugaboota" or "poopu" or "taalimpu" in Telugu. Though optional, the soft spices add good smell and taste to the food. They also help in digestion.

Procedure, common in most preparation:Take a small frying pan or a big iron spoon or a copper-bottom spoon suitable for heating oil.
Heat the oil. Add red-chillies and roast a little. Add black-gram splits and roast a little. Add mustard seeds and roast a little. Add asafoetoda and heat. If excess heat is used, the spices become black and taste gets spoiled. Besides, medical qualities are damaged. Add the spice mixture to the boiled fenugree leaves and lentils mixture. Mix with spoon two or three rounds so that the little oil and spices are spread well.

We can eat with boiled rice or flat wheat pan cakes.

Serves a family of two adults.

TRADITIONALLY BELIEVED MEDICAL QUALITIES:-

1. Because of some bitter taste, fenugreek is good for diabetes patients.

2. Keeps hair lively and reduces falling of hair.

3. With reduced spicing, not injurious to jaundice and lever patients. (Because fenugreek controls "paitya doosha".)

4. Excess eating of fenugreek may increase "vaata doosha" (gastric difficulties).

Suggested frequency: every 10 days.