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Growing Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Geezah
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Growing Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

....well I wondered if it was possible to grow fenugreek in the UK so I gave it a go with a bag of methi seeds I brought back from India (store bought per-packed seeds)
P1010435_zpsd50ec1b0.jpg
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beachbum
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

Looks the goods. How's the aroma? When I tried growing it, the flavour was more like pea pods. Don't have any methi seeds at the moment but will be stocking up on spices soon.
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

I just took a couple of leaves off the plant, rubbed them between my fingers then ate them.

Absolutely no aroma or flavour :(
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beachbum
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

I talked to an Indian shopkeeper last year and he said you need to let them flower, maybe that's the trick. Will try again this year when I can get some seeds.

It's actually grown as a cattle forage in QLD (being a legume and soil improver) so I guess there's only part of its lifecycle when it has that taste.
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

The video I watched of an Indian lady & her daughter showed them harvesting the leaves after only 2 weeks of growth, So i'm unsure if you do have to let the plant flower?

I picked a few leaves and left them to dry out and the smell has become rather pungent.
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beachbum
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

I'm in town today, I'll try to get some fenugreek seeds and give it a go, as spring has sprung here :thumbup:
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

Found them in a deli, I bought 200g and will do a search on growing them. I guess soak them overnight then sow under a thin layer of seed raising mixture?
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

I just filled a pot with compost added a scattering of seeds, added another layer of compost to cover the seeds, watered and left outside in the UK sun.

A large 1-2" deep tray would be ideal to get a larger covering. Mine was purely an experiment to see if shop bought seeds would grow, and if they delivered the flavour.

I'm still waiting to test the flavour but it is looking promising.

Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

My plant is about 5 weeks old and now has a very pungent smell. :D
I'll give it a couple more weeks then crop it and try and work on a good drying method.
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

Planting mine today. Are you anywhere near that walkie talkie building? :)
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by goncalo »

Good progress there Geezah! :)

I've been buying a fresh methi when I visit my asian grocer lately. I love the flavour of it. What does it take to grow it at home for someone who has absolutely no experience to grow anything? any good pointers on the internet?
beachbum wrote:Are you anywhere near that walkie talkie building? :)
:D :D :D
I am the unbearable scorcher of tikkas!
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

It's as easy as growing cress.
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by jerrym »

Geezah,

love the post.

this is sort of on my to do list. i've gradually got to like methi (by hot frying it) and have tasted the fresh leaf version whilst in the asian stores - the taste difference is stark. the fresh is much more subtle.

i've yet to buy the fresh and try in place of the dried - i suspect that some BIR might use the fresh in some way (dish frying or even base or just in chef garam).

i also plan to roast the fresh as part of making chef garam (oven tray 100C 8 hrs).
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

Been in for eight days and looking frisky already :D

I just used a couple of supermarket trays with ventilation holes in that had held fruit, sitting in a plant pot "saucer".

The seeds were just from a local deli that sells spices out of big jars by the scoopful and it was obviously a nice fresh batch.
kasoori methi 1.jpg
kasoori methi 1.jpg (81.4 KiB) Viewed 10618 times
h4ppy-chris
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by h4ppy-chris »

Looking good BB.
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

I cropped my little experiment today.
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P1010463 (Custom).JPG (152.73 KiB) Viewed 10417 times
Stripped the leaves off and set them in the oven @ 100c for 25 minutes.
P1010464 (Custom) (3).JPG
P1010464 (Custom) (3).JPG (176.95 KiB) Viewed 10417 times
Nearly dried.
P1010470 (Custom).JPG
P1010470 (Custom).JPG (190.96 KiB) Viewed 10417 times
goncalo
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by goncalo »

Nice progress Geezah! :)
I am the unbearable scorcher of tikkas!
Geezah
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by Geezah »

So here is the finished goods, smelling as it should.
P1010472 (Custom).JPG
P1010472 (Custom).JPG (99.25 KiB) Viewed 10396 times
So from a 6" round plant pot I have a yield of about 3 tablespoons of kasoori methi.
Next summer i'll be growing 4ft x 2ft bed of it, (2-3 times) and that should see me through a year (estimated)
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by h4ppy-chris »

Looks good mate, you always feel good when making something when you have grow it yourself.
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beachbum
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Re: Kasoori Methi in the UK?

Post by beachbum »

Almost there, I'll do the deed on Monday ;)
I've got a little bench top convection oven that blows hot air, I'll set it to low for an hour and see what happens.
kasoore methi 2.jpg
kasoore methi 2.jpg (106.91 KiB) Viewed 10376 times
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