SRISTI

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a plant that stands around 2–3 feet (60–90 cm) tall. It has green leaves, small white flowers, and pods that contain small, golden-brown seeds.

For thousands of years, fenugreek has been used in alternative and Chinese medicine to treat skin conditions and many other diseases. 

Recently, it has become a common household spice and thickening agent. It can also be found in products, such as soap and shampoo.

Fenugreek seeds and powder are also used in many Indian dishes for their nutritional profile and slightly sweet, nutty taste.

Drum stick or horseradish tree is a tall slender plant grown for it greens, flowers and nutritious pods. It is a very commonly used vegetable in Indian household. The leaves are the most nutritious part of the plant. They are cooked and used like spinach. Drum stick leaves are dried and crushed into powder used in soups and sauces. 

The immature seed pods or drum sticks are added in sambar or kurma. The seeds are taken from the pods and are sometimes eaten separately like peas or roasted like nuts. Oil extracted from mature seeds has a potential as a biofuel. It is widely acclaimed that drumstick leaves have more Vitamin A than carrot; more calcium than milk and more iron than spinach.

** source : NDTV food

Small and firm but sometimes ribbed and translucent, gooseberries are a unique, plant-based food growing on relatively small, thorny bushes. Although their history is rooted in Europe, gooseberries were cultivated in Asia and Africa before the British began growing the fruits as early as 1548.

There are now around 4,884 gooseberry cultivars and two main types: American (Ribes hirellum) and European (Ribes glossularia var. uva-crispa.), which are larger, thicker-skinned and sweeter. Gooseberries belong to the same botanical family as currants, and were said to prolifically grow wild in Asia, and in the mountainous areas of Greece, Italy, Spain and northern Africa.

Traditional Indian medicine has also used Indian gooseberries to alleviate multiple health concerns, such as cough, fever, asthma and diarrhea.

The juice made from the berries is also said to help prevent hair loss.

** source : Food Facts

Cumin seeds are harvested by hand from an annual plant; they are small, boat-shaped, and resemble caraway seeds. The most common variety of cumin is a brownish-yellow color, although you can also sometimes find black cumin, green cumin, and white cumin. You will find whole seeds in Indian recipes (also called jeera)

and ground cumin as an ingredient in Mexican and Middle Eastern dishes, as well as chili, barbecue sauce, baked beans, soups, and marinades. Cumin is a typical ingredient in chili powder and is also often found in other spice blends such as garam masala, curry powder, achiote blends, adobos, berbere, and bahaarat.

Cumin is used in both meat and vegetable dishes, as well as in soups and sauces.