In order to prepare a delicious dish, you need a set of products, a little skill, as well as various spices to give the food a taste. In some recipes you can find such a spice as a chaman. What is it, when it is better to use it and what dishes simply can not do without it - all of this will be described below.
About the concept
First, you must understand the concept itself. So, chaman - what is it? This is a spice, which, by the way, has several names, and each of them is used quite often. So, this spice can also be called shambhala, fenugreek and fenugreek. As for the name we are describing, it is most common in Armenia. In the vastness of our homeland and in Europe, this spice is often called "shambhala."
About spices
It is worth saying that the chaman belongs to the legume family, it has long been a well - known spicy-aromatic plant. An interesting fact is that various parts of it can be used in food. So, the seeds of this plant, leaves and even stems (in ground form) are perfect. Having understood the concept of “chaman” - what is it, it is also worth saying that this spice gives the dishes an amazing nutty taste, and in some cases it can even be replaced with ground hazelnuts, if there is such a need. Basically, this spice has an interesting bitter-sweet flavor, which gives the dishes an amazing lasting aroma.
Mistakes
You should know what a chaman (spice) looks like in order not to confuse it with other spices. So, in a crushed form, the spice is similar to beige flour. However, the culinary experts say that fenugreek shambhala is often confused with the blue fenugreek (utskho-suneli, common in the Caucasus), which is not worth doing. After all, these are completely different things. The biggest mistake is the identification of the ground chaman with ground caraway seeds, this is also unacceptable.
Application
When can a chaman seasoning be needed? The use of spices will be relevant for the preparation of meat, fish and poultry dishes. It is worth saying that this spice appears in all recipes for cooking basturma. It is also good for various kinds of soups: mushroom, pea, potato, onion. As already mentioned, the chaman gives the dishes a light nutty shade, and it is also similar to the mushroom flavor. In India, shambhala is used more as a source of protein for cooking vegetarian dishes. This spice is also widespread in Armenia, where it is almost the main one in the preparation of various types of meat. It will also be interesting that this spice is by its nature an excellent thickener (an analogue of starch), so it is often used to make various sauces. Important for many will be that this seasoning goes well with other herbs and spicy vegetables. A ground chaman is part of spices such as hops, suneli and curry.
Substitutes
Many may have a logical question: will we replace the chaman (seasoning) with something else? So, no other spice can convey exactly the same taste and aroma, but the uchi-suneli spice already mentioned is similar. And since the chaman has a light nutty flavor, in some cases ground hazelnuts can replace it.
Healing properties
Having understood the concept of a chaman - what is it when this spice is used, it is also worth a few words to say about what benefit it brings. So, it will be interesting that in India women consume Shambhala seeds after childbirth in order to put their back in order, normalize metabolic processes in the body, and also facilitate the flow of breast milk. As for the vastness of our homeland, then this spice is also used to improve the body. First of all, it is worth saying that it is an excellent anti-inflammatory, sedative and wound healing agent. The use of this spice on convalescent people will be well reflected: it helps to restore and strengthen immunity, gives strength and energy. Consuming a chaman in the form of porridge will help to cope with hair problems for women who have little breast milk when feeding infants. In the form of a paste, this spice perfectly heals wounds, heals boils and even ulcers (the whole reason is the huge content of adhesives in the spice). And in the form of ointments, it will help to cope with problem skin. A tablespoon of chaman, mixed in a cup of warm milk, is an excellent tonic. An interesting fact is that ground fenugreek, both in antiquity and now used in the treatment of impotence in men and infertility in women. According to other sources, this spice is an excellent aphrodisiac. For women, the following information will be important: you can make hair conditioners from a chaman (ground chaman + yogurt), as well as face masks (along with turmeric and vegetable oil).
Attention!
Although this seasoning is almost universal in its application, it is also worth saying that there is a category of people for whom it can be dangerous. So, these are pregnant women. They can not consume this spice, because it contains saponins, which can provoke a miscarriage.