Glossary

Fenugreek Leaves, Methi Fenugreek Leaves and seeds are both used in cooking. Fresh leaves are used to make vegetable curry and flat bread/tortilla/roti preparations all over India. The taste of the seeds is bitter, however the leaves of the plant are not bitter. Seeds as well as dried leaves are used as spice in small amounts.
Artichoke This is the flower of the artichoke plant which is a member of the thistle family similar to the sunflower. The petals or leaves are fleshy, which is the edible portion. At the center is the inedible thorny thistle which covers the heart of the artichoke. You must remove the thistle before you can eat the heart. Artichoke hearts can be found canned in brine solutions or frozen. Fresh artichokes can be boiled and grilled to create wonderful dishes
Plantain/ Raw Banana Plantain is raw bananas. The skin is green and fibrous. It is tightly wound aroud the fruit and is not edible. Raw plantains tastes starchy almost similar to potato. It is known as "kaccha kela" in Hindi or Marathi (pronounciation differs slightly). The curried preparation is generally a delicacy while spicy fried plantain chips are eaten for snack.