Steve Pope wrote:
>
> Tracy > wrote:
>
> >I cook with fenugreek often and I had never noticed it smelling like
> >maple until I heard it mentioned here on rfc awhile back, It doesn't
> >taste like maple to me though.
> >Just to be clear - I am talking about fenugreek seeds not leaves. I
> >have never used the leaves. I have never even seen them before, so I
> >have no idea what they smell or taste like.
>
> I am guessing I'm faimliar with the ground seeds. I just
> buy it in powder form (methi) at the south Asian stores.
>
> A few more aspects that may be significant. My kitchen has
> no hood or fan, so therefore it's pretty easy for cooking odors
> to penetrate house-wide. Secondly, we always toast or sautee
> the fenugreek by itself. I suspect that if you skip this
> step and just add it to the other ingredients, you may not
> get the lingering odor effect.
>
> Steve


Anyone who knows how to make curries (and we do) would toast (or fry)
the spices first That's a given, as is grinding them afterwards.