What is shambhala? Spice? Spice? Tea? This annual bean plant in Latin sounds like Trigonella foenum-graecum. The last two words gave the European name Shambhala - fenugreek. It means "Greek hay." In Europe, fenugreek is not used as a spice, but as livestock feed and a medicinal plant. Brewed gruel from the leaves is applied to rare hair to strengthen them. Fenugreek and baldness are treated. But from India to the Caucasus, shambhala is used as a spice. She is part of the Carrie and Suneli hops. But in ancient Egypt with the help of Shambhala mummified the dead. But now in this country the purpose of the plant has changed. If a European tourist experiences indigestion from unusual food, he is offered “yellow tea”. This is nothing but the same shambhala. What kind of universal plant is this? How to use it and how to cook? Is it really as useful as they say? This article, based also on the reviews of people who have tried fenugreek, will answer these questions.
Plant names
The birthplace of Trigonella foenum-graecum is India. But the amazing adaptability of the bean plant allowed it to spread throughout all areas where the subtropical climate reigns. And this happened at the dawn of civilization. In ancient Egypt, the plant was part of ointments for mummification. In ancient Europe, "Greek straw" fed cattle. In the Middle Ages, fenugreek received the status of a medicinal plant. In the Arab world, it was used by women to give the figure an attractive roundness. In Pakistan, the plant was called abish, camel grass. In Armenia, the plant is known as the chaman spice. In Ukraine and Moldova, in the south of Russia, a close relative of Shambhala is growing - blue fenugreek. This is a short plant with leaves, like a clover. But Shambhala spice with an intense smell in the territory of the former Soviet Union is found only in the republics of Central Asia - there it is called "mushroom herb". This species is called "fenugreek hay." Such a plant with a height of half a meter and with leaves like clover is used in medicine, cooking and cosmetology.
What is used in the plant
The well-known Shambhala spice is the dried seeds of hay fenugreek. They look like small flattened beans. But not only the fruits are valued in the plant. In India, where Shamballa is used very widely, young shoots and fresh leaves are eaten. And of course, the fruits. They are contained in pods that develop from flowers. Seeds are like small yellow beans. Without them, it is impossible to cook the indigenous dishes of Indian cuisine, such as chutney sauce, curry, dale. The smell of fenugreek can be compared with the aroma of burnt sugar: sweet, with a small bitterness. And the beans have a nutty taste. If you are preparing a dish in the recipe of which shambhala is among the ingredients, you can replace it with slightly hazelnuts roasted in a dry pan. However, the flavor will still not be the same. Reviews are still advised to purchase a real seasoning.
Fenugreek spice (Shambhala): useful properties
In cooking, the substance galactomannan, which is contained in the plant, is valued. It is called "fenugreek gum." The substance is used as a health-friendly supplement E-417. The range of applications of the plant in medicine is quite wide. This is an expectorant, and strengthens the heart, and stimulates the digestive tract. It will lower the pressure and enrich the blood with iron, also Shambhala. The spice, the properties of which was highly appreciated by Hippocrates, is invaluable for women's health. It eases pain during menstruation, smoothes the effects of menopause. Indian women after childbirth eat brown fenugreek fruits to increase milk flow. Bean tea helps relieve stomach cramps and intestinal colic. In China, the plant is also used as a remedy for calming abdominal pain. And recent studies of fenugreek have shown that it regulates blood sugar, which means it is useful for diabetics.
Shambhala in cosmetology
Gruel from seeds and leaves is used for premature baldness. The plant promotes the growth and strengthening of hair and nails. The seeds are crushed into a paste and lay it on boils. Reviews say that this ointment also has beneficial effects on wounds and ulcers. Shambhala spice, often eaten, enlarges the breast and gives female forms a charming roundness. Fenugreek seeds are rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, folic acid and vitamins (B1, B2, C, PP). The juice of the plant soothes skin irritation. And helba, or "yellow tea", is not only pleasant to taste. It also eliminates sweating and bad breath.
Where to buy fenugreek hay
Shambhala is a spice that was previously available to us except in the Georgian mixture of hops-suneli seasonings. But now fenugreek can be bought in various specialized stores of Asian products. Spice is produced by many manufacturers. It looks like beans of a yellowish or light brown hue. These are pure and natural raw materials. Fragrant seasoning costs an average of forty rubles per one gram pack. Other parts of the plant can be purchased at alternative drugstores, as they are widely used in Ayurvedic practice.
Helba
Shambhala is a spice whose use in cooking is difficult to overestimate. But before we give recipes for dishes with this seasoning, we will learn how to cook “yellow tea”, or helba. It is not only tasty, but also a healthy drink. A dessert spoon with the top of fenugreek seeds needs to be washed first. Then brew a glass of boiling water, like regular tea. But helba becomes the most delicious if it is cooked a little (about five minutes). In such tea, as in regular tea, you can add lemon, honey, ginger, milk. The healing properties of the drink are especially felt by women. Tea helps relieve pain during menstruation. And the drink treats intestinal disorders associated with dysbiosis. Helba tea has an expectorant property, so it is good to drink with bronchitis, colds and pneumonia.
Indian Vegetable Soup
Shambhala is a universal spice. From it you can make tea or add it to the soup. So that small shambhala beans fully reveal their taste, they should be subjected to heat treatment. But you need to carefully fry the spice: overdo it - instead of aroma and nutty taste, get bitterness. Four potatoes and a small head of cauliflower are cut into pieces, filled with water and set to boil. Add 200 ml of milk to the broth. Continue to simmer. Pour a little vegetable oil into a small pan and fry a spoonful of Shambhala fruits and a pinch of coriander, asafoetida, turmeric, chili. After a minute, add four chopped tomatoes. Mix, let it boil. Pour the dressing into the soup. Salt it. Fry two tablespoons of semolina. Add it to the soup when cabbage and potatoes are soft. Boil another five minutes. The soup is ready!
Spiced potatoes
We put in the oven about ten medium-sized tubers. Separately, we will cook spicy pasta. It consists of Shambhala spice (two teaspoons), salt, black pepper and a pinch of chopped dill or parsley. These spices need to grind with a glass of sour cream and 50 g of cheese until smooth. Serve the resulting sauce with potatoes.