Fenugreek
(Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Description:
This 4-7 foot annual is smooth and strongly anise or licorice
scented. The long taproot sends up a round stem with few branches.
Leaves are trifoliate, on hairy petioles with obovate leaflets.
Flowers are axillary, and yellowish-white. The fruit is a 16
seeded compressed, malodorous legume. Widely cultivated for
culinary and medicinal uses.
Edible,
Medicinal: The ground, roasted seeds are used in seasoning
foods, and used as a maple flavor for sweets. The green leaves
from sprouted seeds are rich in iron, and added to salads. The
mature, larger leaves can be chopped and served fresh or curried.
Soaked seeds are used in skin softening lotions. Powdered and
added to oil, for a lip salve or scalp tonic. It is a expectorant,
mucilaginous, and restorative.The seeds are used to strengthen
recovery from an illness, bronchitis, fevers, a gargle for sore
throat, increases breast milk, an oral contraceptive, restores
hair growth, aphrodisiac, reduces cholesterol and urine sugar
in late onset diabetes. Add 2 teaspoons seed to 1 cup water,
let stand 5 hrs, boil 1 minute. Take 2-3 cups a day. A poultice
of the ground seeds is used for arthritis, gout, sciatica, swollen
glands, tumors, sores, skin irritations.
