Growing Fenugreek/Methi Seeds

Gardening has never really been about my personal need for food. In Ohio, during gardening season, fresh produce has always been widely available and affordable. My food supply has never  been compromised and for this I am very thankful. Rather gardening has always been more about digging in the dirt, feeling the sunshine, and watching new life begin.

My adventures in gardening have included growing unique items such as quinoa and sesame seeds. This year I am expanding my visions to a few unusual items as well. Today I bring Fenugreek to your attention.
On a whim, which is the best way to live, I threw a few of my Methi Seeds into some water. Unsure if the seeds would sprout because they were roasted and I had read roasted seeds do not sprout. In the beginning this was more out of curiosity. The experiment proved to be a success and quickly there were tiny white tails emerging from the dish of water and seeds.  Sprout they did!
With a tin foil loaf pan and a few cups of potting soil, the experiment continued. I filled the foil pan with potting soil, dumped the sprouted seeds along with the water onto the soil. After spinkling with about an inch more soil I sat the pan in my window sill and went about life. Within a few days I was rewarded with new, green, little sprouts!

I store my seeds in a clear jar

This is how the seeds arrive via mail

Experience has taught me never to count on things we believe to be a sure thing. With fingers crossed, kisses to heaven and lots of hope, the plan is to be harvesting tender little Fenugreek leaves, Leaves to cook with, dry and enjoy for the next few months. As of now, I only have the beginnings of something. Something new, exciting and promising. I'll keep you updated. For now, here's what's growing!

How I use Methi Seeds in my cooking...

• Nice hot cast iron skillet
• Add a little ghee or oil
• Toss in 1 tablespoon of Methi Seeds (remember I cook for one so you might want to increase, in fact you can adjust everything in portions to suit your needs)
• Toss in 1 tablespoon of Cumin Seeds
• Toss in 1 tablespoon of Mustard Seeds
• Cook for a few minutes until aromatic
• Add one large sliced onion and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes until tender and translucent adding a small amount of water if needed
• Add two diced tomatoes and cook until a nice thick paste, the time will vary depending on how juicy your tomatoes are in the beginning. If you have tomato paste on hand you can add a dollop just to make this a little richer.
• Grate 1 garlic clove and a tiny piece of fresh ginger into the mix
• Cook to incorporate all of the deliciousness
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Garam Masala
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt ( taste and see if you would like more salt)
• Add a few pinches of Turmeric or up to 1/2 teaspoon
• Stir and cook a little while to create this delicious base for your vegetables
• Now... I will chuck in carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes or a combination of all or just one. It's cooking on the fly with what I have on hand.
• Add about 2 cups of water to cook the vegies
• After the vegetables are tender, add a handful or two or three of fresh baby spinach leaves cooking until tender.
• Finish with a little heavy cream and you have the best, most delicious dinner. 

I order my Fenugreek seeds online but if you have an Indian Grocery Store near you by all means shop in person. The other spices mentioned are readily available online or in a local grocery store. 

Soon I will have tender green Fenugreek leaves to add to my cooking repotoire.

Life goals...grow fresh Curry Leaves and Cumin.....

On another note. I solely container garden these days. To date, I have onions. peas and lettuce sprouting.

Herbs

Hanging on a hank of wire in my kitchen window, the same window where the herbs sprouted, are drying herbs. The small screen opening in my 1923 windows should provide enough air flow. Truly, I have very limited knowledge about drying fresh herbs. Most of the time, I just freeze mine.

I planted the seeds in little pots back in late April. Then the plants were taken outdoors to mature and go into the ground. Surely, my herbs had many more months to grow and thrive.

We are moving my herb bed. Construction of a new garage is taking it's place. Rather than try to move fully grown plants, I opted to just go ahead and harvest them and hang them up for a good drying.
Are you an aficionado on drying herbs. If you care to share your knowledge, please drop me a note.

Frost Toad is hanging out in the corner keeping a watchful eye on everything.

Herbed Barley

Fresh backyard oregano and sage made their way into our dinner a few nights ago. I really should have made a double batch of this healthy delicious side dish of  Herbed Barley with Pan Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Feta Cheese.

This is what I did.

• Cook 1 cup of Pearl Barley according to package directions.
• Set the Barley aside to cool.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive in a fry pan on medium to high heat. Add 1 1/2 cups of Grape Tomatoes swirling the pan gently to brown the skins lightly. Remove and set aside to cool. Set aside the fry pan too, you won't want to waste the delicious bits in the pan. 
• Chop 1 tablespoon each of fresh Oregano and Sage.



Barley and yummy bits.

• I put the cooled barley back into the cooled fry pan and stirred, to lift up the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan to coat the barley.

• Whisk together the Juice and Zest of one Lemon with one tablespoon of Olive Oil and one Garlic clove smashed and finely minced.
• Dress the barley with the lemon dressing.
• Add 1/2 cup of Feta Cheese to the barley.
• Gently mix the herbs, cheese, and grape tomatoes into the barley. 
• Add Pepper to taste.
• Serve cold.

This could very well be a main dish all on it's own but, we had a nice chunk of pan fried ham with it.

This is my take on Bob Green's recipe. 

Lemon Thyme

I have yet to remove the dried leaves and natural debris around the Lemon Thyme growing in the small herb bed. The calendar tells me that it's spring, I know better.
Snow and or freezing weather will be lingering for a few weeks.
The warm weather when it finally arrives will intensify the flavor of this herb. My plant wintered well and seems to be ready to thrive for another year.
To wash this tender herb, I place them in a bowl of water, swish them around, and the herbs float to the top while the dirt sinks to the bottom.
I harvested enough herb today for a marinade. The lemon smell is amazing.

Chocolate Mint

Miss Ashlee P. said to me once, "Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste" From that time on my view of Chocolate and Mint together had changed. Until now!

I found this unique herb, while wandering around an outdoor market a month ago.

This is a Chocolate Mint plant. Really, it smells and tastes like Chocolate Mint (only not in a yucky artificial way)!

I wondered as I wandered around the marketplace...what will I do with this! 

Pesto

1/2 cup pine nuts
4 tablespoons diced garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the pine nuts and garlic in the food processor. Process for about 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into processor until the pesto is finely pureed. Add Parmesan and process for a minute. Store in the refrigerator covering the pesto with a thin layer of Olive Oil and plastic wrap in a container with a tight fitting lid.

I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten's version. I do not use walnuts in my Pesto. I like more garlic than what the original recipe uses. I knock the garlic measurement to 4 Tbls. In all fairness the basic Pesto recipe could be attributed to just about any cook.