The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | UNIQUE COMPOUNDS | Fenugreek 207

BLENDS TO TRY

Use and adapt these classic blends

featuring fenugreek:

Niter kibbeh p32

Durban curry masala p37

Panch phoran p43

Vindaloo paste p44

Khmeli-suneli p77

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

Fenugreek seeds can

help diffuse flavours

throughout a dish and

thicken sauces by the

action of a special

emulsifier called

galactomannan.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Fenugreek’s flavour is dominated by sotolon, a sweet lactone compound with a taste like brown sugar

with hints of candy floss. This spice also has woody caryophyllene, with some buttery diacetyl, and

mushroom-like vinyl amyl ketone. Pyrazines give toasted seeds roasted, smoky flavours. The sweaty,

rancid, musty aromas are produced by a trio of fragrant acids, which some people dislike.

FOOD PARTNERS

Pumpkin, sweet potato Soak

fenugreek seeds and add to the base of

a pumpkin or sweet potato stew.

Walnuts Use blue fenugreek to make

the Georgian spiced walnut paste satsivi,

which can be enjoyed as a dip or used

for flavouring meat stews.

Beef, lamb Add toasted and soaked

fenugreek seeds to add depth to a rich

beef or lamb curry.

Fish Fry toasted, ground fenugreek

seeds in ghee or coconut oil before

mixing in fish chunks and coconut milk

for a Keralan-style curry.

Baking Add soaked and pounded

seeds to savoury yeasted breads.

Preserves Add the ground seeds

to fruit chutneys and relishes.

Kitchen

creativity

Fenugreek seeds have a sweet, strong taste, with hints of caramel, maple syrup,

burnt sugar, and coffee. While its musty aroma is not to everyone’s liking, the

spice provides a savoury, bittersweet background for many dishes.

use other caryophyllene-

carrying spices to enhance

the woody aromas:

clove adds astringent,

distinctive floral woodiness

annatto contributes gentle

earthiness and a mild flavour

curry leaf adds warming,

meaty, sulphurous complexity

black pepper has mild

pungent heat as well as woody

qualities and citrus notes

pair with spices that

enhance the sweet flavour:

liquorice has anise- and

eucalyptus-like flavour

carob has rich vanilla

sweetness, with a similar

sweaty aroma from acids

allspice brings peppery

sweetness and also shares

caryophyllene

cinnamon has penetrating

sweetness and warmth, as

well as shared caryophyllene

pair with earthy or woody

spices that complement

the roasted flavours:

cacao adds bittersweet

toasted flavours from roasting,

alongside fragrant acids

cumin when toasted has

warm, earthy, bitter flavours

turmeric adds harmonizing

muskiness with hints of ginger

paprika shares smokiness

and adds sweet warmth

SOTOLON

sweet | maple syrup

| caramel

PYRAZINES

nutty | roasted |

smoky

CARYOPHYLLENE

woody | spicy |

bitter

Lightly toast seeds to create

nutty, coffee-and-chocolate

roasted pyrazine flavours.

Grind the seeds so galactomannan

releases faster. Ground fenugreek

can be added directly to a dish.

Extract galactomannan

by soaking seeds in water

overnight or by simmering.

Galactomannan in seeds

forms a gel in a liquidy dish,

allowing oil and water to mix.

Oil droplets

suspended

in water

FENUGREEK

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